Here's Wickipedia on rainwater collection in Colorado and also a
rather startling computation of just how much rainwater can be
collected from a roof top.

Colorado law

"In the State of Colorado, USA, the installation of rainwater
collection barrels is an offense. This is a consequence of the system
of water rights in the state; the movement and holding of rainwater is
inextricably linked with ownership of water rights and is enshrined in
the constitution of the State of Colorado. The use of water in
Colorado and other western states is governed by what is known as the
prior appropriation doctrine. This system of water allocation controls
who uses how much water, the types of uses allowed, and when those
waters can be used. This is often referred to as the priority system
or "first in time, first in right." Since all water arriving in
Colorado has been allocated to "senior water right holders" since the
1850s, rainwater prevented from running downstream may not be
available to its rightful owner."

Calculating rainwater collection

"Rainwater collection from roofs can be calculated using the following
formulas:

* 1 inch of rain on a 1000 square feet roof yields 623 gallons of
water; or
* 1 millimeter of rain on a 1 square meter surface yields 1 litre
of water."


On Wed, 14 May 2008 17:04:45 -0700 (PDT), you wrote:

>Water is not allowed to be collected in Colorado because it is part
>of the recharge of aquifers & streams, and the water given away in
>water rights already exceeds the water in a typical year.
>
>Henry
>
>Abernethy, Virginia Deane wrote:
>
>Wed May 14, 2008 2:43 pm (PDT)
>Exactly! People like A.W. like efficiency for its own sake and
>because it is oten more economical. Doesn't matter if one does, or
>does not attend the Church of AGW.
>
>For example, In Australia where the technology is well developed, we
>have two huge water tanks to collect rainwater off the roof. The
>motivation is environmental and the tanks also pay for themselves in
>a few years. In the similarly desert environment of Colorado, I'm
>told that it is AGAINST THE LAW to collect water from one's roof.
>
>I don't know the rationale and maybe it's monopolistic utilities
>systems. Bear in mind that the government creates utilities
>monopolies, partly through subsidies and partly through regulation.
>Too bad that entrepreneurs can't just compete to sell the most
>efficient system.
>V.
>
>Henry
>Billings, MT
>
>"We need an energy bill that encourages consumption."
>George W Bush
>Trenton, NJ 23 September 2002
>
>"We have enough coal to last for two hundred fifty years, yet coal also
prevents an environmental challenge."
>George W Bush
>Washington, DC 20 April 2005
>
>Entropy site-Learn more about this confusing topic
>http://www.entropysite.com/
>
>Post Carbon Institute-a great resource
>http://www.postcarbon.org/
>
>
>
>
>------------------------------------
>
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>
>
>
>
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