Rain water collection? wtf

Smiley

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#1
I have 2 of the blue 55g barrels sitting by my back door to my garage. My RO/DI wastewater line runs into them filling them both. As I was working in my yard yesterday, my neighbor tells me it is illegal to have them. Who the **** are they kidding? I was about to run a downspout into them to collect the rain water and he said that there is a law stating I cannot collect rainwater because the state owns it... wtf! the state owns the rain? Am I ****ing dreaming? Is this guy bull****ting me?
 

jahmic

Reef Shark
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#2
Nope. Rainwater collection is illegal in CO. The only time you have rights for collection is if you were grandfathered in with a permit, or you use the water for irrigation AND you don't have access to municipal water.

Sucks huh...hide it better. :p

edit: I don't think it'd be illegal to just have, especially for RO waste-water storage. I'd just keep that hooked up to it so if anybody comes knocking they know where the water came from.
 

FinsUp

According to my watch, the time is now.
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#4
There's absolutely nothing illegal about collecting your RODI wastewater- I have a huge bin in a metal frame on the side of my house for exactly this purpose- because that's water that you've paid for. However, it has been illegal for years to collect rainwater. Not that they'll come looking for it (unless your nosy fn neighbor reports you), and even if they did catch you at it, prolly the most they would do is inform you of the law and require that you stop.
 

Smiley

Nurse Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#5
Re: Rain water collection? wtf

Well, im sure I can figure out a way to deal with it......are there any other Colorado laws I should know about? I actually never thought I would see the day where someone could own the rain.....

Sent from my C771
 

FinsUp

According to my watch, the time is now.
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#6
I think it's got to do with the state selling water to other states along the Colorado River. So the gvmt doesn't want us using the water that falls on our own property, but they can't outlaw grass or gardens (yet), so they just outlaw collecting rain in a bucket. Ain't it grand?

Oh, and it's a state law that any accidental frags you break off your best (brightly colored, non-pink) corals have to go into my tank. :rofl:
 

ReefCheif

Reef Shark
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#7
They do the same in Arizona, comeplte BS if you ask me.
 

Munch

Reef Shark
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#8
It's not like we are bottling the water to resell. I'd prefer to catch on heavy rain days, like today, and use to hand water.
 

amonchak

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#9
I think It's all related to water rights and who has the senior rights, since we dont get much rain by collecting the rain water that would injury the water right of the people down stream.
 

jahmic

Reef Shark
M.A.S.C Club Member
#10
amonchak;245487 said:
I think It's all related to water rights and who has the senior rights, since we dont get much rain by collecting the rain water that would injury the water right of the people down stream.
Exactly this. We don't have the issue here, but the Colorado river has been drying up downstream fast. There are small villages south of the border that have been vacated due to draught for years...they're trying to prevent that from spreading to the Southern states.
 

amonchak

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#12
Not quite right. The majority of the large water providers (denver water and aurora water) treat surface water which is what the rain replinishes. The water from the aquafiers in our area or the groundwater is not under influence by surface water (either rain, lakes rivers or streams).

Now there are plenty of local municipalities that use ground water ( ie castle rock and other smaller providers included)

By definition groundwater is a finite resource and non renewable. Surface water on the other hand is a renewable resource.
 

ReeferMatt

Nurse Shark
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#13
I wonder if that means next winter I can call the state and tell them to get their damn precipitation off my sidewalks and driveway?
 

Haulin Oates

Reef Shark
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#14
Rain water collection? wtf

ReeferMatt;245517 said:
I wonder if that means next winter I can call the state and tell them to get their damn precipitation off my sidewalks and driveway?
Oh this... Is... GENIUS!!!
 

rmougey

Tang
M.A.S.C Club Member
#15
ReeferMatt;245517 said:
I wonder if that means next winter I can call the state and tell them to get their damn precipitation off my sidewalks and driveway?
Haha! Where's the 'Like' button when you need it. :)
 

FinsUp

According to my watch, the time is now.
M.A.S.C Club Member
#16
BWAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA
I'm tempted to send a bill for the time and materials I have used to remove their precipitation from my front steps and driveway.
 

FinsUp

According to my watch, the time is now.
M.A.S.C Club Member
#18
ANDREW! Cut that out! He's so antsy to move to Mexico as it is that I wonder when I'm gonna come home to a note that tells me he's already on his way there. Every time it snows, I cringe.
 
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