Woman is denied from using rainwater off her own roof!

Incredible! Is this what its coming too? Poor lady, she just was
doing the right thing! Who do they think they are and who do they think
owns the rain and where do they think it comes from?
God in heaven! Oh,..the arrogance!
They have no right! (Unless they pay for the roof!)

All she wants is the rain water that lands on her roof. She lives with her husband and two children in a solar-powered home in rural San Miguel County. Committed to promoting sustainability, Kris Holstrom grows organic produce year-round, most of which is sold to local restaurants and farmers markets. On a mesa at 9,000 feet elevation, however, water other than precipitation is hard to come by. So Kris did what thousands of farmers before her have done: She applied for a water right. Except instead of seeking to divert water from a stream, she sought to collect rain that fell upon the roof of her house and greenhouse. To her surprise, the state engineer opposed her application, arguing that other water users already had locked up the right to use the rain. The Colorado Water Court agreed, and Kris was denied the right to store a few barrels of rainwater. If she persisted with rain harvesting, she would be subject to fines of up to $500 per day.

www.wildlifemanagementpro.com...
Gets crazier every day! No, being crazy may take a permit somewhere in the future!
What, taxing mud puddles? Is that what we've become now? Are we that desperate?
www.ens-newswire.com...

In Colorado, water rights laws severely restrict rainwater harvesting -- a property owner who captures rainwater is effectively stealing it from those who have rights to take water from the watershed.[20]

en.wikipedia.org...

These Eco-Nazis need to be reigned in. This is a practice that dates back centuries and they think they control all the resources. If i where these folks i would make them prove that the air rights above and the ground rights below belong to anyone but the land owner. If there are no tenants in the land deed stating someone else owns them then they need to go to the SCOTUS with this one! What arrogant idiots in the West coast!

Zindo

reply to post by dodadoom



It reminds me of something i read in Noami Kleins `The Shock Doctrine` .

Bechtel , a U.S multinational corporation bought contracts to water rights in Bolivia , leading to it becoming illegal to collect rainwater , as it was deemed the property of the Corporation.

The government, under a law that was passed, conceded control of the water under a monopoly to Bechtel in a certain area. So that means that Bechtel tried to charge a fee and had the monopoly power over a very basic necessity for people. The law said even that people had to ask, had to obtain a permit to collect rainwater. That means that even rainwater was privatized.

The most serious thing was that indigenous communities and farming communities, who for years had their own water rights, those water sources were converted into property that could be bought and sold by international corporations.

In confronting that situation, the people rose up, confronted Bechtel, and during five months of mobilization, managed to defeat Bechtel, breach the contract and change the law.

But the most important thing—and we need to remind Evo Morales of that today—was that that victory of the people in Cochabamba was the reason why Evo Morales could be president today. If that uprising in 2000 had not ended in a popular victory, Evo Morales today would not be the president.

Democracy Now

[edit on 9-5-2009 by UmbraSumus]

[edit on 9-5-2009 by UmbraSumus]

This is why you don't apply for 'permits' for things that are trivial. It's easier to beg for forgiveness than to beg for permission. If you think you have to ask, the answer will always be 'no'.

reply to post by UmbraSumus

Thanks for the reply and the post! And thanks for the stars, flags and
posts everyone!
I have read something about that, but was not aware of the repercussions that you mentioned.
Goes to show us, when we stick together and fight for whats ours
we win.
When we concede, we always lose(our rights)and never get it(or them)back.
From what I've seen, its a heck of a lot harder to get it back once it's gone!
Thanks again!

[edit on 10-5-2009 by dodadoom]

Lots of laughter!!!!!

In Germany they have to pay their water bills with a variable that includes how much rainwater is supposed to drain off from their property into the city sewage system.....
The more it rains the more they pay. It ain'y cheap. Trust me i know!

reply to post by GEORGETHEGREEK


During the Clinton administration our EPA was toying with the idea of charging folks a fee for polluting the water supply by allowing rain water to drain from the roofs and drive ways on their property. They got a stern warning from the populace that it would not be a wise idea. One of the few times they have backed down on environmental BS!!
Zindo

Another clear indication that the intention is to get the masses to not do and not think for themselves. Taking away intuition and the very survival skills that we are born with.

Another clear indication that we are being "told" who we are allowed to be - instead of "being" who we already are.

Another clear indication that some will stop at nothing - when it comes to taking power, control and possession over those things that rightfully belong to every living being.

Remember you were born unto this universe - and no one owns you.

the water from the sky belongs to someone now?

this is a great recruiting tool for libertarians...

i wonder if a solar powered water vaporator would come in handy here?

i'd like to see them claim the moisture in the air is forbidden, too.

and if they do, it wouldnt surprise me in the least.

still think the government is the solution?

think we need more government?

Originally posted by ZindoDoone
reply to post by GEORGETHEGREEK

 

During the Clinton administration our EPA was toying with the idea of charging folks a fee for polluting the water supply by allowing rain water to drain from the roofs and drive ways on their property. They got a stern warning from the populace that it would not be a wise idea. One of the few times they have backed down on environmental BS!!
Zindo

dont give em any ideas. that can "change" anytime... especially under this administration!

i'm surprised they havent tried to resurrect that already... they need more taxpayer money, so... look for a comeback, soon.

She was basically going to pour the water into the ground soon after and the water would be right back into the system. She was going to use it for her farm. She is not restricting the flow of water! In a court of law she should win.

I wonder what would happen if you just delayed the flow?

Just created a long hose that might the water stayed in motion but took a few days to hit the ground.

Solar power pumps pushing the water up in fountains that feed into drip beds, that then fell back into the same pipe the water loss from wind blowing the fountain spray onto to the ground might the water board got their water, just took a bit of time to arrive.

Or if you applied to build a sunken pation 2-3ft below grade. oops roof down pipe drains into and floods oh dear bail it out. eventually pouring it on to the sloped ground above your plants.

no collection pour planning - "pun intended"

reply to post by DohBama


Yeah i know...

Here in Greece some big fat silly bully politician has taxed mostly everything after over exploitation of the people which has also no state money left.
Wonder where the money went? Politicians...
I guess breathing air is next up the taxing list....

Originally posted by DohBama

Originally posted by ZindoDoone
reply to post by GEORGETHEGREEK

 

During the Clinton administration our EPA was toying with the idea of charging folks a fee for polluting the water supply by allowing rain water to drain from the roofs and drive ways on their property. They got a stern warning from the populace that it would not be a wise idea. One of the few times they have backed down on environmental BS!!
Zindo

dont give em any ideas. that can "change" anytime... especially under this administration!

i'm surprised they havent tried to resurrect that already... they need more taxpayer money, so... look for a comeback, soon.

Hey its only been 100+ days. Carole Browner is in this administration and it was her idiotic idea originally in the Clinton years so I'm sure they have it in their agenda in the future!

Zindo

I have never heard of anything so utterly ridiculous. Owning rain? or the rights to collect rain??

Next we'll be charged for the priviledge of sunlight and our use of it. Where will it end?

Night time tax? I should patent darkness... I could make a fortune...

reply to post by azurecara


If we a forced to go solar it will NOT be free. It will be taxed in any manner they can to make the most profit from this "Greenploitation" movement in the world today. Climate Change is natural and making it a business and trying to brain wash humans into thinking they need to be charged for Mother natures acts is nothing but fraud and lies. Huh, I just made up a new name for this fraud!! "Greenploitation" = the exploiting of ignorance to make billions! Yup sounds about right!!

Zindo

All I have to really say to this is...WTF is the world coming to???? We are in bad droughts and they're going to take away our right to use rainwater for ourselves???? RIDICULOUS!!!

This is all crazy talk, next you will all be saying they are going to tax the air we breathe ? ooops they are trying that with a Carbon Dioxide tax.

If someone came up to me with a bill taxing me for breathing air, I will literally kill him/her on the spot.

Folks, you haven't been paying attention. Water will be the new oil of the 21st century. There's already a LOT of talk and legislation about water rights - even rainwater runoff. There are already several states where it's illegal to capture rainwater - colorado, utah, washington. In Idaho the state owns the water, but 'allows' rain harvesting on private property. However, they're talking about taxing private well water use and making people install meters.

There's been threads here on ATS about it, but given, not for some time.

But with the aquafers across the US draining to dangerous levels, the days of water wars are coming. Particularly out west, water is already a commodity.