Is collecting rainwater illegal in Oregon?

As hard as it is to believe that rainy Oregon has a limited water supply, water is not an unlimited resource. So under Oregon law since about 1995, you can collect rainwater, but you have to collect it off an artificial, impervious surface, like a roof or a parking lot.

Where in the world is it illegal to collect rainwater?

Arkansas – No regulations or laws against rainwater harvesting. California – No regulations or laws against rainwater harvesting. Colorado – The only state that it is completely illegal to harvest rainwater. Other than that each house is allowed up to 110 gallons of rain barrel storage.

What are water rights in Oregon?

Under Oregon law, all water belongs to the public. With some exceptions, cities, irrigators, businesses, and other water users must obtain a permit or license from the Water Resources Department to use water from any source – whether it is underground, or from lakes or streams.

Is it legal to collect rainwater in Medford Oregon?

That water was part of a watershed, and was supposed to supply the town of Medford, Oregon. As the Oregon Water Resources Department stated in a press release dated July 29, 2012, and reprinted at Snopes.com, it’s perfectly legal in Oregon to collect rainwater for personal use.

Is collecting rainwater in San Antonio illegal?

For instance, Texas lets people buy rain harvesting equipment free of sales tax, and it’s against the law for homeowners’ associations there to prohibit rainwater collection. A few states in the western U.S. have traditionally outlawed rain harvesting altogether.

Is it illegal to collect rainwater in Colorado?

Water laws are so strict in Colorado that rainwater collection is virtually prohibited. The doctrine is written into the state’s Constitution. On Monday, Colorado representatives voted to allow people to store up to 110 gallons of the rainwater that flows off their roof.

Do water rights pass with title in Oregon?

Generally, a water right is attached to the land described in the right, as long as the water is used. If the land is sold, the water right typically goes with the land to the new owner.

Is it hard to get water rights in Oregon?

Most water rights are obtained in a three-step process. The water user first must apply to the Department for a permit to use water. If a permit is approved, the applicant must construct a water system and begin using water within a certain time frame.

Was Oregon man sentenced to jail for collecting rainwater on property?

Gary Harrington was sentenced followed several years of legal dispute over what the state continually described his willful and flagrant operation of a number of illegal reservoirs. An Oregon man was jailed for collecting rainwater on his own property.

Can you go to jail for collecting rainwater?

Collecting rainwater on your own property can now lead to jail time, as proven by a man from Oregon who was just sentenced to prison for doing just that. Who owns the rain?

Was Gary Harrington sentenced to prison for collecting rainwater?

Although in a strictly literal sense Oregon resident Gary Harrington was indeed sentenced to prison for collecting rainwater, that sentence followed several years of legal dispute over what the state continually described his willful and flagrant operation of a number of illegal reservoirs.

Is it legal to collect rainwater off of your roof?

A press release (issued on 29 July 2012 by the Oregon Water Resources Department and published by Eugene television station KVAL) was prefaced with the information that it was “legal to collect rainwater off of surfaces like roofs or tarps, (but) property owners need to obtain permits before altering or collecting flowing bodies of water.”