Comments on: Colorado Bill Legalizes Rainwater Harvesting

By: No well, no water service … what do you do? « Rejuvenation Projects Blog

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:36:18 +0000

[...] If that sounds illogical to you, well, Colorado has weird water laws. The gist is this: the rain or snow that falls on your property is not yours. It belongs to someone downstream from you, someone who long ago applied for and was granted the rights to the water from your drainage. It is, therefore, illegal to use a rainbarrel or dam up a little creek that runs across your land. You’re stealing from the rightful owner. Read more about the new legislation. [...]

By: Haley Paul

Haley Paul — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:51:58 +0000

Here is the link to the study that revealed 97% of precipitation in the Denver area never made it to the streams: http://www.douglas.co.us/community/water/documents/HolisticApproachtoSustainableWaterManagementinNorthwestDouglasCounty.pdf

By: Water « Life in the Big Tree

Water « Life in the Big Tree — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 17:35:13 +0000

[...] One website claims that “a pivotal study focusing on the Denver area revealed 97 percent of precipitation never makes it to streams,” although the study is not cited. I’d be interested to see the study, if I could find it! [...]

By: Debra

Debra — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 01:52:40 +0000

I live in Central Texas and have just started using rainwater harvesting techniques. In our area they theorize that it takes some 500 years for rainwater to reach our water table and encourage rainwater harvesting when possible. I know of a family that has been living the last 10-15 years off of ONLY rainwater that they harvest. We average 19″ of rain per year where I live and they run their complete household use and outside plant use and a few head of livestock soly off of rainwater. I do not understand any city or state that says you can not harvest the rain. It is like the air it is there and above your property and why can’t you use it especially when its use would be fore the better of the community/area!!

By: OC Sean

OC Sean — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 20:31:24 +0000

I would guess that rainwater harvested is likely to be used for watering lawns or plants anyway. It ends up in the same place but is used at a time more appropriate for watering, like when it’s not raining.

By: JJ

JJ — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 14:39:16 +0000

Environmentalists should realize in an arid region like Colorado, rainwater harvesting’s biggest contribution will be to encourage more development in places where water supply was infeasible or marginal (especially the 35 acre ranchettes and mining claims). It will not make one bit of difference to river flows one way or the other. It is such a de minimus amount of water, and will not supplant a well if one can be constructed.

By: rainwater recycling

rainwater recycling — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:11:01 +0000

Interesting article, I find it amusing that an archaic law is being used to stop what is simply common sense usage of rainwater.
I suspect you will need financial incentives as well as making it legal to really encourage people to take up rainwater recycling.
Has anyone at your resources center done the research on the impact of rainwater recycling on the reduction of water going in to the ground – or groundwater. I assume it will have some reduction, but eventually the water that has been stored will work its way into the natural water courses.