Collecting rainwater now illegal in many states as Big Government claims ownership over our water « Occupy The Planet

Water is a public trust and commons and belongs to all. If you harvest rainwater to water lawns, gardens, etc. and that water is returned back into the hydrologic cycle, there is no problem. If however, you hoard it and store it in cisterns simply to use it for your own uses without returning it back into the hydrologic cycle to replenish rivers and streams that are suffering due to drought, I suppose then you are seen as hoarding and only exacerbating the problem. I can actually see both sides of this in that case. This is more about restrictions on use rather than outright privatization.

Oxygen taxation is next.

its only illegal if you get caught!!!... i have come to live that way these days...

collect what you want is a free planet, thats why we have protests across the globe

wtf...really?

If they could find a way to charge you to breathe oxygen they would.

These laws are not for "Big Government" as the post's headline implies. It is to protect PRIVATELY owned water rights.

The corporate overlords what to have a monopoly on water , so they can charge us whatever they wish .... and we will pay . At least they THINK that . Fools .

The u.s. is evil

reminds me of not being able to consume the milk out of your own cow...how much more will we allow?

It's all about control, next they will say it's illegal to collect sunlight with solar panels.

What BS not having the "water rights" to rain water falling on your own property! BS! I'd say the City or State had ZERO right to take it and allocate such "water rights" in the first place. A violation of our Constitutional rights I suspect

In arid landscapes rainfall has to fall almost directly into watersheds to contribute to the overall supply. Here in the NE we have been so saturated recently that even a drizzle raises creeks, rainfall produces torrential white water, storms produce flooding. Seems to me in both cases collecting rainwater for household use is a good idea for the environment.

The history of violence in the West over water rights kind of makes you wonder how unlimited growth and development in arid land can avoid dispute. You also have to wonder how appropriate unlimited growth and development is in arid environments, especially the importance of maintaining a lawn in the scheme of things...

I have rain barrels and a cistern. We use the water for the gardens. I guess I would be a criminal in Utah.

Wow I hope my umbrella doesn't collect any water I don't want to end up in jail for stealing water...

lol...good luck with policing that...