Harvesting rainwater is an activity that environmentalists commit to to conserve water to use in drier times. In some states gathering this water in containers is deemed illegal because state law
deems that the water belongs to those who bought the rights to waterways.
In Denver, conservationalist Kris Holstrom knowingly defies this law.
She uses 55-gallon buckets underneath the gutters of her house to catch rain and snowmelt. This recycled water is used to irrigate a small private vegetable garden.
Colorado state law declares that the rain water should be allowed to fall to the ground and flow unimpeded into surrounding creeks and streams. The the law states that it is the property of waterway right purchasing farmers and water agencies and not hers to keep and use.
"If you try to collect rainwater, well, that water really belongs to someone else," said Doug Kemper, executive director of the Colorado Water Congress. "We get into a very detailed accounting on every little drop."
Frank Jaeger of the Parker Water and Sanitation District sees water harvesting as a vicious attempt to take water from developers that have paid for the resource.
Nevertheless, I believe, along with Organic farmers and urban environmentalist, that water harvesting makes economic sense and should be a legal and invited practice.
Who owns Colorado's Rain water?
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