Collecting rainwater now illegal in many states as Big Government claims ownership over our water

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(NaturalNews) Many of the freedoms we enjoy here in the U.S. are quickly eroding as the nation transforms from the land of the free into the land of the enslaved, but what I'm about to share with you takes the assault on our freedoms to a whole new level. You may not be aware of this, but many Western states, including Utah, Washington and Colorado, have long outlawed individuals from collecting rainwater on their own properties because, according to officials, that rain belongs to someone else.

As bizarre as it sounds, laws restricting property owners from "diverting" water that falls on their own homes and land have been on the books for quite some time in many Western states. Only recently, as droughts and renewed interest in water conservation methods have become more common, have individuals and business owners started butting heads with law enforcement over the practice of collecting rainwater for personal use.

Check out this YouTube video of a news report out of Salt Lake City, Utah, about the issue. It's illegal in Utah to divert rainwater without a valid water right, and Mark Miller of Mark Miller Toyota, found this out the hard way.

Well this is some crazy stuff.

How this could actually happen is beyond me.

Rain that falls on my house belongs to me and I can do what I want with it, I don't understand how a government could say otherwise.

This is getting crazier by the day...

Any thoughts?

Pred...

Hahahahahahaha!!! I can't think of another response. My brain just exploded.

They won't enforce it?

Probably because it would be the last straw.
Well, I would hope it would be the last straw....

I have learned not to have too high of expectations however.

reply to post by predator0187

You may not be aware of this, but many Western states, including Utah, Washington and Colorado, have long outlawed individuals from collecting rainwater on their own properties because, according to officials, that rain belongs to someone else.

I was under the impression that this had been the case for several years now.

LOL.

I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. I don't even know what to say about that. I can just see a black market for rainwater.

Sir, do you have a permit to build that snowman on your front lawn??

Water: our most valuable resource

The control of it leads to The Future Battle of H2O

No surprise there we don't have rights anymore.

I'm still in shock that this actually happens in several other countries; yet this is my first time hearing about several western states outlawing it here. Through all that we have lived through as a nation and what we stand for land of the free and all it's kind of surprising to outlaw collecting of rainwater. I'm kind of wondering if perhaps I am missing something in which they are thinking that this is right but on the other hand I'm just so confused by it all...

Look out America!

Rainwater is your right.

Stop this stupidity right now, please.

Are people just going to sit by while idiots claim the right to rainwater?

I could not laugh at this story - it made me feel sick.

Claim your rights back!

I've seen this .....and all I have to say is good luck catching my educated ass .....

Politics, and bureaucratic crap ... is what makes this ethical ....
I have some colorful language for those that try and enforce this bull #

It's because they own that water. Cloud seeding anyone?

Host: So what about the little guy, watering with rain water at home? Will anybody do anything about that violation of the law?

Official: If she really does do that, then she ought to have a water right to do it.

Host: Are you going to make an issue out of that?

Official: No we have bigger fish to fry.

Lol. That is so ridiculous. Obviously they can see the absurdity of this law if they aren't going to prosecute minor infractions. I think once rain water lands on my property no one has the right to take it from me or charge me for it. It should be that simple. If I'm taking it from a river then it might be valid to say some one 'down stream' is being affected, but in this case the logic fails. I'm glad I don't live in America, because I'm sure they would try to do something about my water tank. I don't pay anything for water, it all comes from rain water stored in the tank. No added chemicals and no cost.

Australian farmers who collect rainwater in their dams have to pay every year... its complete BS.. How can the government tax something they dont provide? Whats next? paying for the oxygen we breathe?

maybe it has a logical reason, for example the rainwater is needed for a healthy groundwater level?

Originally posted by PrecogPsychicSensitive
Australian farmers who collect rainwater in their dams have to pay every year... its complete BS.. How can the government tax something they dont provide? Whats next? paying for the oxygen we breathe?

*Cough* Our Carbon Tax coming in July *cough*

Seriously, I find it absurd that those who utilize the land are persecuted. It's all politics ...no one is talking about and persecuting oil !!!! If politicians gave a crap about clean potable H2o .. they would abolish oil....

Haha, here's an interesting comment on the YouTube video:

If the state claims ownership of the rain falling on my land and fails to collect it within a reasonable period of time, would that not fall under abandoned property law? Can I bill them for storage of said property?

Originally posted by PrecogPsychicSensitive
Whats next? paying for the oxygen we breathe?

Using the logic that they are using, they could say: for every breath of oxygen you inhale upstream, that's a breath of oxygen that can't be inhaled downstream.

Host: Officials say it's an old legal concept to protect people who do have water rights.

Official: Obviously if you use the water upstream it wont be there for the person to use it downstream.

unreal

Well, I have lived in Washington State for over thirty years and I have never heard of such a thing.

In fact, rain barrells are commonly sold in the stores around here and it is a practice that has been picking up in popularity.

I have a feeling this is something on the books meant to keep people from making a profit off it (such as charging customers for that 'rain water' car wash)....I think? Bizarre, to say the least.

Originally posted by daaskapital

Originally posted by PrecogPsychicSensitive
Australian farmers who collect rainwater in their dams have to pay every year... its complete BS.. How can the government tax something they dont provide? Whats next? paying for the oxygen we breathe?

*Cough* Our Carbon Tax coming in July *cough*

I was going to post, "What next a tax on breathing air"
Then you reminded me of July