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Proposed Colorado bill would let housing developments collect own water with cisterns, but could have unintended consequences

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on April 6, 2008 at 7:09 am

This story was submitted to Aquafornia by regular reader & commenter Ray Wright, a retired water rights analyst. From the Daily Camera:

New housing developments could get to test out an old-fashioned way of conserving water.

On Friday the [Colorado State] Senate backed a bill that would let up to 10 new developments apply for permission to install cisterns to collect rainwater that drains off rooftops. The water would have to be used on lawns and gardens or to fight potential wildfires.

Democratic Sen. Chris Romer’s proposal would let the developments try out the idea over the next three years. The aim is to measure whether the cisterns prevent a lot of water from flowing into rivers and streams or whether most of it would have been soaked up by the ground anyway.

Ray adds this:
Here is a good example of “have-nots trying to steal from haves”….those who have the water because of a hundred and fifty years of priority ownership are expected to relinquish ownership, control and use because new people have just arrived who need water in the dessert southwest.

If this legislation is approved….it opens the doors to those with parking lots, commercial roofs and even large acreages to suddenly claim the water that falls on their property….this concept would destroy the 150 year prior appropriation water law in the west !

April 6, 2008 · Filed Under Development & Water

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