Comments on: Who Owns The Rain? In Utah, Not You!

By: Neener

Neener — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 21:38:04 +0000

well if your jurisdiction has water rights and you don't own them, then you can't very well use that water then. Pretty simple. I own the water rights to my property, so I can do as I please. My uncle sold the natural gas rights under his farm, so he no longer has any rights to that even on his own property (because the natural gas is no longer his property). If this is simply an issue of buying the water rights, as expensive as they may be, then it's really no issue, is it?

By: Matt Blank

Matt Blank — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 04:38:02 +0000

I live in Utah and we have some really weird Irrigation laws. All of these problems stem from the fact that we live in the middle of a desert and people insist on having things like lawns and raising cattle. Because of this, we've developed a large variety of strange and stringent irrigation laws. My grandmother lives in an older part of town (Salt Lake City) that has open irrigation channels in it. She diverted some of the running water for her large garden and when the public works people noticed a drop in the volume somewhere downstream, she was fined. Apparently she didn't have water rights even though it was flowing through her back yard. Fun times in Utah...

By: DOJ

DOJ — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 22:53:37 +0000

so is there a reason you can't meter your water intake and sewer output separately?

By: stapler

stapler — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:53:19 +0000

So did that guy just basically say it's ok for the 'little fish' to break the law, but not the 'big fish'? What is gray water? How could the big fish harm anyone?

By: SD

SD — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:31:05 +0000

This is sick. Absolute religious sickness.

By: kahili

kahili — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 17:06:36 +0000

that reporter sounds like, and even looks a little like, kent brockman from the simpsons.

By: Scooter

Scooter — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:53:09 +0000

As far as i'm concerned if the rain is falling on my property I own it. I don't rake my leaves out of my neighbors yard. Those leaves belong to him now.

By: johan

johan — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:47:22 +0000

There are two understandable reasons to do this.

1) which has already been mentioned, is to estimate the effect on sewers. I guess seattle doesn't want all that grey water added to their santizing load, if you get the idea to flush your toilets with it.

2) is ground-water. I believe colorado allows to you halt rain water, but only if you eventually use it for irrigation, so that it makes it back to the groundwater.

The colorado system seems much more reasonable. Go ahead and store the rain-water all you want, but it must be used for irrigation, and can't be dumped into the sewer.

Of course, here in Mass, all our rainwater run-off goes into the municipal sewer anyways, so I guess it doesn't matter.

By: Janet

Janet — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:43:48 +0000

This is disgusting, so much for helping the earth.

By: Craig

Craig — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 15:28:46 +0000

This is the same story in Washington state. First it was for people in semi-arid 2/3rds of the state, where rainfall is about 15" per year. People found collecting rainwater from their downspouts are fined. Insane! But it turns out to be true in Seattle as well - and we get 45" per year. You can collect a barrel full, but you cannot collect larger amounts - like a cistern. The city likes to sell you the water you use, thank you very much.

By: ted

ted — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:07:27 +0000

If you're in the country, you're not putting water into the sewer system. You're putting water into a septic system, which you then pay someone else to clean out.

By: Rocky Rook

Rocky Rook — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:31:17 +0000

Watching that was really frustrating. I guess that is part if the price one pays for living in the city (or state or country).

By: Scotchdrnkr

Scotchdrnkr — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:21:06 +0000

Here in St. Louis The sewer company charges you for storm water run off. If in this case the storm sewer company is charging them for the run off then it should be considered the car companies water and the can do what they want with it.

To Ray in Ontario
The reason they want to charge you for the well water is because its the only way they can figure out how much water you are putting in their sewer system. If you are on septic then they shouldn't be allowed to charge you.

By: Robolasse

Robolasse — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:26:54 +0000

"Damn you Cohagen! You got what you wanted, now give these people air!"

By: Ray

Ray — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:25:24 +0000

And here in Ontario they want to charge us in rural areas for well water. If you refuse to put a meter on your well, they just make a guess and add it to your property tax.
Excuse me, I have to go and change the filter on my air-meter, my breathing's getting difficult.

By: jonno

jonno — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:39:51 +0000

Ok, that is just madness, next it'll be if you have a wind turbine or solar panels it will be necessary to pay the electric company a fee because its not fair to generate your own power!!?

By: Simon

Simon — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 07:26:36 +0000

A similar situation is beginning to take effect here in Australia too. At least at the local council level. If you have a rain water tank, and rely solely on the weather for water, you still have to pay a fee to the water management people. (Western Water in Melbourne are charging Gisborne residents who have never, ever been connected to a mains supply).