Rain barrels will soon be legal for some rural residents
By Cherry Sokoloski
North Forty News
Collecting rainwater from the roof is common practice in many places around
the world, but not here in water-starved Colorado, where runoff from rain
is tied to precious water rights.
That could change--but only for a few people in rural areas--if the governor
signs Senate Bill 80. Bill co-sponsor Jim Isgar, D-Durango, expects the
governor to do so. The bill, which allows for the collection of rooftop
rainwater in some situations, passed both the House and Senate about a
month ago.
Isgar said the purpose of his bill is to "provide some flexibility without
injuring existing water rights." He added that the bill is fairly limited.
It will not pertain to Glacier View Meadows and Crystal Lakes, two of the
larger rural subdivisions in Larimer County.
People who will be able to legally collect rainwater are those who have
individual wells, or are entitled to have such wells. In northern Colorado,
that right is generally limited to properties of 35 acres or more. Some
properties, Isgar pointed out, have individual well permits on smaller
properties that are grandfathered in.
Isgar explained that if a well permit contains restrictions, those same
restrictions would apply to rainwater collection. For instance, the individual
wells in Glacier View are "household use only." That is, well water cannot
be used for any lawn irrigation or livestock watering. Since the same rules
would apply to rainwater, Glacier View residents would not be allowed to
collect rainwater for outside irrigation.
Some Glacier View households are served by community wells. Those are also
restricted to "household use only," according to manager Steve Horsmon.
Wells in the Crystal Lakes subdivision are also limited to household use.
Manager Jody Sandquist explained that, as in Glacier View Meadows, rainwater
is part of the subdivision's augmentation plan, and it must be allowed
to drain back into the aquifer. Consequently, Crystal Lakes well owners
will not be entitled to use rainwater for outside irrigation.
In contrast, people holding "general residential" well permits that allow
for lawn/garden irrigation and domestic animal watering would be able to
use rainwater for those same purposes.
Under terms of SB 80, property owners who want to collect rainwater must
obtain a permit from the state engineer's office and pay a fee.
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