Utah: To legally collect rainwater you must register with the state and buy a "standardized container"

Chris | InformationLiberation
Mar. 10, 2010

Apparently in Utah having a law passed requiring citizens to register with the state and buy a "standardized container" in order to collect rainwater is a major victory. The government for decades has "owned the water rights" and deemed collection of rainwater a criminal offense. "The bill requires would-be harvesters to register online with the state and supply information about how much is to be collected and the collection point." reports Deseret News.

Legislature OKs personal collection of rainwater

Associated Press - March 3, 2010 2:45 PM ET

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - The Utah Legislature has passed a bill that would permit the personal collection of rainwater.

The House unanimously approved the legislation on Wednesday. It has already cleared the Senate.

If signed by the governor the measure would reverse a decades-old prohibition on rainwater harvesting in the state.

Senate Bill 32 would permit the collection of no more than 2,500 gallons in a storage container.

If it becomes law Utahns wouldn't be able to just put out barrels in the backyard. The proposal requires registering with the state and buying a standardized container.

Sen. Scott Jenkins, a Plain City Republican, is sponsoring the bill.

In 2000 there were riots and massive protests against the company Bechtel waging a hostile takeover of water rights in Bolivia, they too said rainwater collection was literally illegal.

It is unbelievable to me that in a third world country the people would riot and protest over their rights being trampled on yet here in America being granted the ability to apply for a license to collect rainwater is somehow a major victory.

See Also:
> Obama Administration Set to Seize Millions of Acres in the West
> California Man Fights Legal Battle to Keep His Own Backyard
> Water Wars: Colossal Land Grab by the UN and the Feds