Stop! Thief! You have the right to remain silent, anything found in your rain barrel will be used as evidence that you are a water thief!
According to an article in todays Seattle PI, there is an archaic law in the state of Washington, Making it illegal to catch water from the rains, as in rain barrels. What the hell - are they afraid it well never rain again in Washington state?
Should government have the right to say NO! YOU CAN'T SAVE WATER! or is it a case of government protecting us from ourselves? What the hell do I take 5 minute showers for? Why the hell do I catch water heating up for my shower in a bucket or recycle dishwater for plant watering?
Also, does big brother have the right to say the own the water from the rains and you don't? Does that make them responsible for leaky roofs and flood damage? I know the state law rules that they own the water in the lakes and rivers, but is this a case of a state going too far? Can people in eastern Washington be "trusted" not to take too much water?
Personally I am ready to be a scofflaw and a rebel with a cause and proudly catch my water in my two rain barrels in the front of the house. I smell a poll!
5 comments:
My heart says "no", but then, something inside me says "what about some big tycoon who goes around buying all the westward-sided mountain properties (where most of the rain and snow falls) and digs a giant reservoir to keep all the water, thereby effectively destroying the head of a river source?
I know that's a far out view, but perhaps that is what is being discouraged?
Burbanmom, knowing government the way I do, I'm fairly sure that's NOT what's being discouraged! But it definitely is food for thought. That's kind of the way I feel about the now-popular T. Boone Pickens. He has bought up tons of water rights in the Oklahoma and up area.(I think that's where). People like THAT are the ones who should be controlled, but it'll be the little guy who gets screwed.
And as far as me using the water? I'm not KEEPING it, it's just going to be stored and put onto the ground at a later time. So according to how I want to read the law, I'm just borrowing it along the way to where it'll eventually end up. HA!
Wow, that's insane - are they kidding???! I thought at first it might be because of some old plague or maybe malaria (which was once a big problem in the US). But the article suggests it's because of the watershed - how bizarre!
My first thought was mosquitoes too, but I guess not. I wonder if you are allowed to stand outside with your mouth open...or is that stealing too.
I remember hearing about this when I was living in Colorado. They brought up points of water rights; apparently the water on my roof belonged to Iowa or something. There was also the concern of mosquitoes. But now I am in Pacific Northwest where all the water goes to the Pacific and we pay millions of dollars for creation and maintenance of storm water ponds seems like they would be encouraging us or even subsidizing them to help out with the issue. I am curious if the law has ever been enforced in Washington.
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