Whose water is it? State allows specific rainwater harvesting

MONTROSE  — There are no problems if rain falls making your lawn lush and green, but to capture it off the roof to water the rose bushes later, you better understand the law because you could be breaking it.

On Wednesday, a pioneer-day water law prohibiting the collection of rainwater was changed, allowing for a little more leeway for rural residents.

Senate Bill 09-080 passed the General Assembly and was signed by Gov. Bill Ritter during the 2009 legislative session. The new rule went into effect July 1.

The changes to what many call an “illogical” law now allows residential property owners not using a domestic water system and who are legally entitled to a well for water supply to capture water only from the roof.

For farmer Kerry Mattics, of Mattics Orchard outside Olathe, the law has no teeth or logic.

“The way I see it, if you own a piece of property and water falls on it, then you should be able to use it,” he said.

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