Why Is It Illegal To Collect Rainwater In Colorado
Camila Farah
The other states to have introduced rainwater collection laws include illinois arizona ohio north carolina oklahoma texas rhode island utah washington and virginia.
That s because states like colorado have complicated laws that honor long standing water rights. At this rate it is likely that most states will trend towards favoring rainwater collection and it is highly unlikely that the federal government will enforce any restriction. Exactly how much rainwater you re allowed to collect and use varies across the u s for example under a colorado law passed in 2016 homeowners are now allowed to catch and use two rain barrels a total of 110 gallons from their rooftops but no more. Why is it illegal to collect rainwater in colorado.
If you starve your downstream neighbor of water that is illegal. Colorado the state with arguably the strictest rainwater harvesting laws passed a bill in 2016 allowing for the collection of rainwater with a 110 gallon maximum capacity. Some states such as colorado require a permit to collect over a certain volume. Water laws are so strict in colorado that rainwater collection is virtually prohibited.
Colorado has been the only state with an outright ban on residential rain barrels and one of just four states that restrict rainwater harvesting. Colorado has decided that rain that falls from the sky is the source of water and water rights are the property of the state not the roof owner. Rainwater collection is legal in every us state. All the rain is already spoken for.
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As a result in much of the state it is illegal to divert rainwater falling on your property expressly for a certain use unless you have a very old water right or during occasional periods when there is a surplus of water in the river system. The new law which takes effect in august will allow colorado homeowners to collect as much as 110 gallons of rain in up to two barrels. Historically colorado had strict laws prohibiting the collection of rainwater. This is because some sites in colorado have sensitive water tables and require the rainfall to prevent desertification.
However this law was overturned in 2009 so that rainwater collection is now legal using specific collection systems.
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