Monday, July 22, 2013

Illegal Rainwater

By Douglas V. Gibbs

I stepped into the Protective Bunkers and Survival Center, and on the other side of the room, to the left, was an eave, with a rain gutter, and a system drawing the simulated rainwater into a barrel.  What a concept.  Especially in California where earthquakes are common, and the big one is expected anytime soon.  When a major quake hits, all utilities will probably go down.  To take care of my electricity needs I have a generator.  To replace my natural gas needs we have propane, and devices that run on propane.  Water, however, once the water we have stored is gone, would become something of a problem. . . until now.

So, to protect my family, collecting rainwater is a wise thing to do.

Not so fast.

For some reason the bureaucrats out there don't want you to be able to protect your family.  A number of States have decided that collecting rainwater on your own property is a no-no, because the rain falling from the sky belongs to someone else.

Last year, in Oregon, we were shocked when a man went to jail over collecting rainwater.  The claim was that he wasn't using approved reservoirs.  Ultimately, it was because the liberal lefties running Oregon decided the water didn't belong to him. . . even though it fell from the sky.

Now, in Utah, a resident found out that it is illegal to divert rainwater without a valid water right.  His rainwater collection system violated the law, according to the bureaucrats in Utah because rainwater belongs exclusively to Utah’s various government bodies.

Salt Lake City officials worked out a compromise with the gentleman, and are now permitting him to use “their” rainwater.

Oregon and Utah aren't the only states with rainwater collection bans, either. Colorado and Washington also have rainwater collection restrictions that limit the free use of rainwater.

In Colorado, two new laws were recently passed that exempt certain small-scale rainwater collection systems, like the kind people might install on their homes, from collection restrictions.  Colorado only made these allowances for small scale collection because of a study that discovered letting people collect rainwater on their properties actually reduces demand from water facilities and improves conservation.

The argument that collecting rainwater prevents that water from getting to where it was intended to go is not the real reason for these laws, however.  Like with everything else the statists do, it is all about control.

Control may not have been the entire reason in the beginning, though.  As people become more aware of these laws, we realize that some of these laws are over 100 years old and were put into place when rainwater for the community was a more important issue, since outside sources were not as accessible.  The awareness by the public, and the willingness to become active, is resulting in some of these laws being reversed.

Regardless of whether the rainwater laws are in place for originally a good reason, or not, one thing is for sure - in this time and age where we are becoming more aware of government control machinations in place, a la IRS, NSA, and other methods, the allowance to collect rainwater has become a bigger issue, one of reestablishing freedoms, and decreasing government control.

The federal government is not supposed to be involved with internal issues at all, according to the United States Constitution, and we are supposed to have a better handle on our State governments.  We have been indoctrinated to believe the government has control over our rights, but our rights are unalienable.  They were granted to us by our Creator.  That means they belong to us, and it is up to us to ensure those rights remain in our possession - and that includes collecting God-given rainwater.

As I tell my Constitution Class on regular occasion, The Constitution is only ink and paper if you don't fight for it, and your rights are merely ideas if you don't ensure they remain in your possession.  The growing bureaucratic power seeking to continue to expand, until it is some tyrannical leviathan, can only be reined in if we are willing to make sure we are involved.

Ronald Reagan once said, "Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it."

Statism works to control everything.  Rainwater, what you eat, how you act, what you worship, and ultimately the air you breath and the sunlight that bathes our world.  If they can't tax it, they will figure out a way to tax everything around whatever it is they seek to control.  That is how government works if not limited by a constitution, and the actions of informed voters.

They wish to tax all property, and control everything you do.

It's just like being a property owner.  If you think you own the land you live on, try not paying the property taxes, and see what happens.

-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary

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