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

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.

Source

Ok People.

A friend of mine sent me the article above. We all need to wake up and this entire forum is here to lead that charge.

Water, food and shelter are most important to survival in this world.

We see attacks on food. Monsanto is a good example.
We saw attacks on shelter, Mortgage crisis in the states for example.
Water is the one element that we all need and cannot afford to lose.

If this is of interest to you, please participate with data from your state. I will do the same as I can collect it.

Who owns your water rights?

Below is a link to a film where this issue is discussed in various countries.

Flow the film


[edit on 28-7-2010 by zroth]

Having trouble with the link, will check it later after a reboot

However making collecting rainwater illegal is something that the IMF has been doing in third world countries for some time now.
They lend money to countries, and when the countries can’t pay they say “Okay u can’t pay.. fine! But you have to prove to us that you are doing what you can to raise funds to pay us back at least”.

Part of that may range from forcing high energy/electricity prices in Ghana to outlawing rain water collecting because it takes money away from companies that sell bottled water in other parts of Africa. It’s all just to ensure that people remain in perpetual poverty.

It’s funny how privatizing rain water is nothing new!

Sad world we live in!

I was researching this the other day. Here is an interesting website I found that gives you the rainwater regulations for every state.

www.harvesth2o.com...

Enjoy!

EDIT: scroll down on this link to find state specific regulations.

Here in Texas, we must have it good:

Texas Water Development Board sponsors the Texas Rain Catcher Award, to promote the technology, educate the public, and to recognize excellence in the application of rainwater harvesting systems in Texas.

Additionally, there is a state sales tax exemption on the purchasing of rainwater harvesting equipment.

[edit on 28-7-2010 by Aggie Man]

This doesn't just concern the US!!!

The cosmologist Michio Kaku put it nicely when he said that this whole century will be dominated by wars for resources. It's inevitable as we slowly begin to realize that we can't continue to exploit resources the way we currently are.

The biggest enemy of finding a solution to this is misguided patriotism! Everything's globalized at the moment, actions in one country affect others. A solution needs to be found in a way where all nations work together. It's not a matter of dancing around in a happy hippie circle, it's a matter of survival in the long term.

Are you worried about the hordes of illegal immigrants now? What do you think will happen once they run our of the most basis resources because the modern West takes all the resources? On who's door do you think they'll come knocking? Do you think anything will stop them if they're desperate??

Water and energy will be responsible for many wars this century, and it started with Afghanistan/Iraq.



[edit on 28-7-2010 by MrXYZ]

We need to avoid over reaction to these old laws. Change them, sure, but the events that caused them were not all that sinister when they were developed, sometimes they were even good laws.

For instance, it was common practice at one time for large ranchers to cut off water to smaller places (as the water passed through their giant holdings, making it "Their water" for a time)and drive the smaller concerns out of business.

Hence laws preventing diversion or capture of water.

You want to collect a bit of water for personal use? Well, that should be fixed in the law so you can!

But no fair damming a river to drive out all the competition!

yep- serf city here we come , with the rod of correction
brought down with the full force of the law. just obey orders.
the sheriff of rottingham will be by to confiscate your lands and goods.
mind your contemptuous tone, or it's a labor camp for you.

That's so crazy. Here in Canada water collection in encouraged. They want us to collect as much rain as possible for our own use. In Saskatchewan many of the older houses are still have big water cisterns in the basements, and many are still in use. Almost everyone outside of a city has a large dugout pond for water use.

In the hardware stores, they even sell systems to put under your roofs, they are expensive of course, some even have pumps in them, and are way bigger than the usual rain barrel. Some of those are even fancy, to look good under your gutters. Also grey water systems to recycle to your toilet to get a second use of the shower or laundry water.

How backwards is it to not use the water available naturally, when there is a shortage. Ridiculous. And so wasteful..



[edit on 28-7-2010 by snowspirit]

reply to post by Nicenico



Those who make the laws are not stupid like the general public likes to think.

They know exactly what they are doing when they make the laws.

Um who passed these laws and why exactly? This just sounds fishy and weird to me. I'm thinking this "news" source is reading an awful lot into this.

reply to post by Aggie Man


This is a great resource thank you.

It is amazing to find out which multi-national owns your water rights.

Forgiving the generations before us, for falling asleep at the wheel, is a full-time job these days.

Originally posted by ~Lucidity
Um who passed these laws and why exactly? This just sounds fishy and weird to me. I'm thinking this "news" source is reading an awful lot into this.

The one in Colorado was passed 120-years ago. Those evil PTB....thinking so far in advance

From the link I posted above:

However, Colorado is taking baby steps towards legalizing rainwater collection. Senate Bill 80 was signed by the Governor on 4/22/09 and becomes law on July 1, 2009.

So, it's not exactly illegal in Colorado anymore. BTW, it's not illegal in Utah or Washington either.

Look out! the water Nazis approacheth!

Clean Water Act “Amendment”: Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing!It seems that last week, our government was at it again. This time, by “it”, I mean the so-called “Amendment” made to the Clean Water Restoration Act (CWRA); S. 787, passed by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.

In short, this is what this amendment says: IF this amendment gets to the Senate and passes a vote there, (S. 787) would grant the federal government authority over ALL water – both navigable waters of the United States (Oceans and Waterways), which the feds already preside over, but also NON-navigable water as well. This amendment slickly omits the word “navigable” from the original bill, which leaves – you guessed it – the federal government with jurisdiction over ALL water, no matter whose land it happens to be on!

midwesterncattle.com...

reply to post by zroth


I visited a hippie ranch in Fla a few decades ago...ostensibly, to ask for water, as it was pretty expensive and no one leaves their faucets on anywhere. They had tiny little fairy lights for lighting throughout the house. When we asked for water, a guy named badger said 'how much?'

We needed about 5 gallons.

Oh no, we don't have that much...

They collected rainwater.

This water business (poisoning the sources, laws, nanoterror) is a way to keep us on the grid. Somewhere I read that people will have to choose between food and the car, and soon.

No...I think for many of us it will be a choice between food, and water.

The police will have reason to invade non grid types when they see the water is being 'collected'. Wonder what else they'll find?

DanBones,
that article is also so crazy. What in the world do they think they're doing south of us? Remember when a couple of our cows were found with mad cow disease? They sure won't be worried about that if their cattle start to die cause they don't even have puddles to drink.

Our water is already wanted. Now we need bigger cattle farms too!! This year we had so much rain, we couldn't get our grain planted, and they aren't even allowed to keep their rain down south, without paying for it.

Talk about food shortages coming. Even meat possible, if it rains, they're going to want money. The farmers will be having too hard of a time doing business.

then i guess the next time it rains we all have grounds for sueing when all our stuff gets damaged?

reply to post by Nicenico


I think you are spot on this issue. I don't think a lot of people have considered doing it, and as conservation is again making the rounds (as it did in the 1970's when I was a teenager) it is being seen as a good source of untapped water.

Utah has passed the bill to allow such operations to be allowed; as of March 4 it was awaiting signature. Most other states have no limits or laws. When the laws were first on the book, they were needed. For that same reason, similar laws are needed today. But collecting rainwater can only be a good thing, and such laws will be changed to allow it. Just like Utah, as more are doing it, "lost" laws will be found and updated. The story in Utah shows what should and will be done.

(This is the second story and the second time that "news" from this source that has been sensationalized and reactionary. It also does not provide the most up-to-date follow-up. I'm putting this source on my list of "questionable". )

Originally posted by Nicenico
We need to avoid over reaction to these old laws. Change them, sure, but the events that caused them were not all that sinister when they were developed, sometimes they were even good laws.
....

You want to collect a bit of water for personal use? Well, that should be fixed in the law so you can!

But no fair damming a river to drive out all the competition!

You make sense but it has already gotten to the point that states are ticketing and imposing fines on private citizens for doing things as small as saving rain water in a barrel to water their flowers.

There are already a few threads about these incidents here on ATS.

reply to post by badgerprints


Yeah this is a slippery slope when you get fined or cited because the meter reader sees your rain barrel.

The MSM tells us to be green while the local and state regulations may not actually agree.

reply to post by badgerprints


Yeah this is a slippery slope when you get fined or cited because the meter reader sees your rain barrel.

The MSM tells us to be green while the local and state regulations may not actually agree.

People need to know this, but it is nothing new.

For years now municipalities have had laws and regulations against drilling wells for water on your own property.

The reason why? So that they have a monopoly on where you get your water.

From them!