You may break the law without knowing it. It is so easy to get it wrong and you need to pay attention when you collect the rainwater at home, even for personal use.
In many US states, collecting the rainwater is illegal. There are a lot of voices suggesting why it should not be illegal to collect it, and many others suggesting this is a necessary measure.
Even if in your state this is a legal thing, there is a high chance there are laws describing the conditions of collecting water.
Strict regulations and restrictions exist today, like it or not.
Top states where rainwater collection is heavily restricted
Colorado
In 2016, Colorado passed a law allowing residents to collect the rainwater in barrels. Even with this law in place, this is a highly regulated and limited place to harvest the rainwater.
Oregon
In this state, only the roof surfaces may be used for harvesting rainwater.
Ohio
This state used to be the most regulated state in regulating the practice of rainwater collection.
California
Rainwater harvesting is totally limited and regulated. Homeowners have no legal rights to collect it.
Nevada
In this state, to legally collect the rainwater, you need to get the permission of the state and prove the need and the benefits resulting from harvesting it.
Texas
Not much to say about Texas other than an 88-page long manual of rules to follow. The state paid much attention in regulating the practice of water harvesting.
Utah
In Utah, water is owned by the state. There are a few cases in which you are allowed to store the water, considering the capacity of rainwater barrels and the number of containers.
The usage of rainwater
It is needless to say the diversity in the usage of the rainwater. From irrigation to consuming it as potable water, its use differs from one person to another.
It is great to capture it and reuse it with great benefits. With this new global warming and climate change, it is becoming more and more a scarce resource.
The business of water
In the last years, the water business has grown in a billion dollar industry, with a great mention that is one of the fastest growing industries in the world today.
In the US, 1500 bottles of water are consumed every second!
Rainwater barrels for water harvesting
If you are legally allowed to harvest the rainwater as a householder, the rainwater barrels are what you need. When it rains, the water should be filtered by physical objects before it gets stored. This way, the container remains cleaner and the water is stored in better conditions.