Rainwater collection now legal in Colorado (Durango: 2009, codes, property)

[EscapeCalifornia]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/29/us...n.html?_r=4&hp

DURANGO, Colo. — For the first time since territorial days, rain will be free for the catching here, as more and more thirsty states part ways with one of the most entrenched codes of the West.

Precipitation, every last drop or flake, was assigned ownership from the moment it fell in many Western states, making scofflaws of people who scooped rainfall from their own gutters. In some instances, the rights to that water were assigned a century or more ago.

Now two new laws in Colorado will allow many people to collect rainwater legally. The laws are the latest crack in the rainwater edifice, as other states, driven by population growth, drought, or declining groundwater in their aquifers, have already opened the skies or begun actively encouraging people to collect.

See link above for rest of the story.

[lalahartma]

yay!

[ramanboy33]

I've always wondered why, if someone else owned the water that falls on my property, then why do I have to pay service fees to maintain the storm sewer. Shouldn't that be payed by the person who owns the water?

[CosmicWizard]

This is a victory for common sense! Common sense prevails.

[wanneroo]

About time there is some common sense.

[CosmicWizard]

ramanboy33 wrote:

I've always wondered why, if someone else owned the water that falls on my property, then why do I have to pay service fees to maintain the storm sewer. Shouldn't that be payed by the person who owns the water?

Ah but you forget....business people of all stripes want to privatize the benefits/profits and socialize the costs!

[DOUBLE H]

[quote=CosmicWizard;9523317]This is a victory for common sense! Common sense prevails.[/quote

Ditto, it prevails this time. Hopefully there will be a next time.