The principle at issue is prior appropriation, which means “first come, first served”. This doctrine forms the foundation of water law in Western states, where settlers have long competed to devour all water rights. Prior appropriation helps explain why water-intensive agriculture is still an important industry in a place as dry as the West: many of the original applicants were farmers who wanted to irrigate their crops. Reagan Waskom, director of Colorado State University`s Colorado Water Institute, said rainwater bills were passed in 2009 that allowed rain barrels for homeowners with domestic well permits only for domestic use. These laws were considered inapplicable to livestock. “The only way to allow your horse to drink rainwater is if the horse can reach the sink through your window,” he joked. Putting water in your dog`s outdoor water bowl? Or maybe put it in your cattle trough? Maybe not. The law states that rainwater cannot be used for drinking, although this is generally considered a human consumption problem and not an animal. Rainwater harvesting first became legal in Colorado in 2016.
After several seasons of using rain barrels, now is a good time to ask an expert for an update. If you`re so inclined to install a rain barrel (do it at your own risk), here`s a tutorial I discovered on how to make your own. Another good (and completely legal) alternative is to create an organic whale in your landscape. Based on this report, Colorado launched a pilot program in 2009 that allowed people who drew their water from wells to apply for rainwater harvesting permits. Yesterday, the House voted 45-20 to allow all homeowners to store up to 110 gallons of rainwater. HB 1259 now goes to the Senate. You have a good point. If that state-owned rainwater is now getting into your home and causing damage, file a damn lawsuit against the state and see what they say. Here is a guess, dear owner, the flooding of your basement was an act of God; therefore, if the water we claim to be ours and falls from heaven causes evil, it is the water of God; if you collect it in a barrel, it`s OUR water. Harvesting rainwater as the primary source of water supply is a relatively new idea and industry. Therefore, laws surrounding rainwater harvesting can be a problem.
Currently, the federal government does not regulate rainwater harvesting at all, but leaves that to individual state governments. Make sure your stormwater harvesting company knows and complies with local rules and regulations. It is important that rain barrel users understand that collecting and using rainwater with rain barrels is not a right to water. HB16-1005 contains language that could lead the State Engineer to restrict the use of individual rain barrels if a water right holder can demonstrate that these storm barrels have affected his ability to obtain the water to which he is entitled under his water right. In Colorado, two new bills were passed this summer that appear to be causing confusion over water rights. Senate Bill 09-080 and House Bill 09-1129 allow rainwater harvesting – but only in very limited circumstances. Colorado`s water laws are so strict that rainwater harvesting is virtually banned. The doctrine is enshrined in the constitution of the State. All the rain has already been pronounced. It belongs to someone, and that someone probably isn`t you. So don`t touch it. Actual rainwater harvesting involves collecting runoff from precipitation from roofs, concrete decks, driveways and other impervious surfaces.
Rainwater harvesting systems range from simple and inexpensive to complex and expensive. As a rule, rooftop rainwater harvesting systems are simple and consist of gutters, downspouts and storage containers. Inexpensive rainwater storage systems often use an aboveground container such as a barrel or plastic tank with a lid to reduce evaporation and access to bars for mosquitoes. Any container capable of collecting rainwater drainage from a roof or patio can be used as a rainwater harvesting system, but to comply with Colorado`s water law, the container must additionally be equipped with a lockable lid. More sophisticated systems have “first flush” bypasses, which are recommended to avoid catching the initial rain that could carry contaminants from the roof. Yes. This situation is acceptable as long as rainwater is directed from the roof to the garden. Q. Can I use rainwater to soak my horse/sheep/chicken? Under special circumstances explained in Senate Bill 09-080, residents of lands eligible for “exempt” wells can collect rainwater with a permit for the Colorado Division of Water Resources` rooftop rainwater harvesting system. While these collection system permits do not limit the size of the rain barrel, water must be collected on the roof of the primary residence and rainwater can only be used for the purposes permitted by the residents` exemption well permit. For example, if the well permit only allows domestic uses, rainwater can only be used for non-potable purposes in the apartment. If the well permit allows for domestic and outdoor use, including lawn and garden irrigation and/or animal irrigation, rainwater could also be used for these purposes.
Legalizing rain barrels won`t save the world or Colorado, where even rainwater harvesting law is rarely enforced. H.B. 1259 couldn`t even pass the Colorado Senate. But it is a symbolic step towards a more modern way of thinking about water in the arid states of the American West. Are you ready for rain barrels? They should be better, because today, August 10, is the first day that most Colorado residents can legally collect rainwater from their roofs in barrels. Rain in urban and industrialized areas can contain a variety of contaminants that are absorbed by the atmosphere, including arsenic and mercury. It rarely rains in Colorado, but rainwater quality is generally good. However, the scarcity of precipitation leads to an accumulation of bird droppings, dust and other contaminants on roofs between rainfall events.