At first, collecting rainwater sounds like one of the simplest ways to conserve a natural resource. Put a barrel beneath a downspout, let it fill during a storm, and use the water later for plants or other outdoor purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But stories about people getting into legal trouble over rainwater collection have led many homeowners to wonder: Can collecting rainwater actually be illegal?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The answer is more complicated than a simple yes or no.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In many places, a basic rain barrel used to collect runoff from a home’s roof is treated very differently from a large water-storage project. However, water laws can vary significantly depending on where you live, what type of water you are collecting, and how much you intend to store.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Continue reading on next page\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n One of the most frequently discussed examples involves Gary Harrington in Oregon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His case is sometimes summarized online as a story about a man being jailed for collecting rainwater. That description, however, leaves out important context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Harrington’s property contained three large reservoirs that had been created using dams. The reservoirs were designed to capture and store substantial quantities of water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oregon authorities argued that the structures violated state water regulations and affected water that was subject to existing legal rights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The case therefore involved much more than someone placing a small container underneath a household gutter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Water is regulated differently from many other natural resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some states have systems governing who can use particular sources of water and how that water may be diverted or stored. In places where water rights are formally allocated, large-scale collection or storage can require approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oregon, for example, uses a water-rights system in which legally recognized rights can determine who is permitted to use water from certain sources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That means the circumstances surrounding a collection system can matter just as much as the fact that rainwater is involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For many homeowners, the situation is much simpler.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A small rain barrel collecting runoff from a residential roof is generally not comparable to constructing a dam or reservoir that captures water on a much larger scale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, homeowners shouldn’t assume that the same rules apply everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Local and state regulations may address rainwater collection, storage capacity, plumbing connections, building requirements, or how collected water can be used.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The rules can also change over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The important distinction is between ordinary household conservation and large-scale water diversion or storage<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Collecting a modest amount of rooftop runoff for watering plants is one situation. Constructing a large pond, dam, or reservoir that changes the flow of water is another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Questions about the source of the water, the size of the storage system, and its potential effect on other water users can all become relevant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before installing a complicated collection system, it’s worth checking the regulations that apply to your property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your local water authority, building department, or other relevant government office can provide information about permits and restrictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, should homeowners be afraid of putting a rain barrel beneath a downspout?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not necessarily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The bigger lesson is that water laws are highly location-specific<\/strong>, and a dramatic story from one state shouldn’t automatically be treated as a rule that applies everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A simple rain barrel and a large water-storage project may look similar in an online headline, but legally, they can be very different things.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At first, collecting rainwater sounds like one of the simplest ways to conserve a natural resource. Put a barrel beneath…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":28416,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-28415","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-story"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28415","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=28415"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28415\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28417,"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/28415\/revisions\/28417"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28416"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=28415"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=28415"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tbdig.com\/sirbenet\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=28415"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}The Oregon Case That Started the Confusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why Water Rights Matter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What About an Ordinary Rain Barrel?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why the Details Matter<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Check the Rules Where You Live<\/h2>\n\n\n\n