by: Lawn Care Business

Landscapers have many laws to consider.

Landscapers should use all available resources to design healthy and functional landscapes for their customers.  There are often seemingly nonsensical laws on the books that landscapers may not think to consider.

As part of my studies in a recent landscaping class, I have become more aware of the importance of using rain barrels to catch water draining through downspouts on your home.  An  inch of rain produces 1500 gallons from an average home’s roof.  This is a tremendous amount of water.  Using just a fraction of this amount on turfgrass, landscaping plants, and vegitable gardens, can greatly reduce the strain on utilities and water resevoirs.

I was recently made aware of a law in Colorado which, apparently,  makes the use of rain barrels illegal.  The law states that rain must be allowed to fall freely to the ground.  Residents of Colorado are not allowed to use rainwater other than as it falls freely on their property.  If a bucket is used to catch rain water to be used later for plants the homeowner is in violation of water use laws.

http://www.denverwater.org/cons_xeriscape/conservation/FAQ_WestWaterLaws.html

It seems to me that all water eventually finds its way back into the watershed irrespective of if rain water is used as it falls or at a later time.

Can anyone explain this law to me?

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