Government Crackdown on Water Harvesting
Believe it or not, a number of states either strictly regulate how someone can store, use and dispense rainwater. Surprisingly, some of these states are in areas of the country that get plenty of rain. On the other hand, states in drier parts of the country like Utah and Colorado already have laws on the books whereas a man in Oregon was actually jailed for harvesting rainwater. Arizona is currently studying the “impact” that water harvesting would have on the ecosystem as well.
The reality is that harvesting and using rainwater is one of the most practical, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly things that the population at large can do. As drought conditions persist in some parts of the country, it is also a very reasonable way to reduce demand on municipal water supplies. However, as we all know, the government doesn’t always operate on the premise that what’s good for the population is the best solution to problems.
The idea that harvesting water will impact the ecosystem, reduce supplies further downstream and contribute to water shortages is nothing short of ludicrous. However, that’s exactly the excuse that some governments are using as a way to curb this practice. Another popular excuse is that water harvesting can lead to illness from drinking water that is not properly treated.
There is only one real reason that the government wants to put restrictions and even outright bans on water. They want to control supplies, and this will consequently control the population. This practice and trend will only get worse over time as the western and southwestern United States becomes drier and drier.
What’s utterly amazing is that large drinking water companies drain billions of gallons per year in places that are already suffering from water shortages. This is especially true in California, and as most of us know, the state is experiencing an absolute water emergency.
So, on one hand, it’s perfectly okay to take water from an already dry climate, but it’s illegal to harvest water for personal use in areas that are wet. None of this makes any sense, but it is something that we should start paying more attention to, because chances are that this encroachment into our basic freedoms and ability to be self-determinant will disappear with little or no warning.
Some people believe this is just a smoke-screen to get the average citizen to cough up more cash to fill the empty coffers of state governments. Others see this is a blatant attempt to expand governmental control over our lives. In either case, the fact that the government can restrict, regulate and tax us because we collect rainwater should make everyone nervous. Stock up while you can, because there may come a day in the not-too-distant future when collecting rain from the heavens can get us in hot water with the government.
