3 ms·

https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/board_info/faqs.html https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/board_info/faqs.h... It wasn't until 2012 that you w

https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/board_info/faqs.html https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/waterrights/board_info/faqs.h... It wasn't until 2012 that you were allowed to capture RAIN that fell on your roof. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201120120AB1750 https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml...

prawn 2y ago
Was there a period earlier in Californian history where it was the norm, or has it always been discouraged? In South Australia which is similarly dry to parts of California, newly built houses are required to have rainwater tanks installed and plumbed to the house (e.g., to flush a toilet, for example).
- jpollock 2y ago
  I haven't studied it, other than knowing what I was allowed to do to a house I owned. :) A quick googling turns up: Americans have a long history of killing each other over water. That tends to result in very defined access rights. https://www.worldwater.org/conflict/list/ https://www.worldwater.org/conflict/list/ "Water violence in New Mexico over water rights" "Cattlemen fight Texan landowners for access to water and pasture" "Many are killed during the Johnson County Water War between competing cattle association over access to water resources and land" In popular culture: * Pale Rider - creek is dammed to force the miners off the land. * Yellowstone - creek is dammed to prevent the building of a subdivision. This might help explain a bit: https://www.npr.org/2013/06/15/192034094/rivers-run-through-controversies-over-who-owns-the-water https://www.npr.org/2013/06/15/192034094/rivers-run-through-...
daveguy 2y ago
Do you have a reference for the legislation that originally required a permit, or is the bill you reference just a clarification to make explicit that a permit is not required? Seems like this bill is just a clarification and grants explicit permission for landscaping contractors to install rainwater catchment systems which they already had permission for hot tubs, patios, pools, and all the other things listed.
- staticautomatic 2y ago
  I don’t know the body of law well but in law school I was taught that west of the Rockies, where most of these prior appropriation water rights shenanigans are, it’s generally illegal to capture rain water because it would interfere with others’ riparian rights.
Chris2048 2y ago
This says: > California's waters cannot be owned by individuals, groups, businesses, or governmental agencies. A contrast with "Every drop belongs to someone" Maybe this is an issue is loose language, but it feels like the state owns the water, not individuals? Perhaps the use of the word belongs means state-allocated?

prawn 2y ago

Was there a period earlier in Californian history where it was the norm, or has it always been discouraged? In South Australia which is similarly dry to parts of California, newly built houses are required to have rainwater tanks installed and plumbed to the house (e.g., to flush a toilet, for example).

jpollock 2y ago
I haven't studied it, other than knowing what I was allowed to do to a house I owned. :) A quick googling turns up: Americans have a long history of killing each other over water. That tends to result in very defined access rights. https://www.worldwater.org/conflict/list/ https://www.worldwater.org/conflict/list/ "Water violence in New Mexico over water rights" "Cattlemen fight Texan landowners for access to water and pasture" "Many are killed during the Johnson County Water War between competing cattle association over access to water resources and land" In popular culture: * Pale Rider - creek is dammed to force the miners off the land. * Yellowstone - creek is dammed to prevent the building of a subdivision. This might help explain a bit: https://www.npr.org/2013/06/15/192034094/rivers-run-through-controversies-over-who-owns-the-water https://www.npr.org/2013/06/15/192034094/rivers-run-through-...

daveguy 2y ago

Do you have a reference for the legislation that originally required a permit, or is the bill you reference just a clarification to make explicit that a permit is not required? Seems like this bill is just a clarification and grants explicit permission for landscaping contractors to install rainwater catchment systems which they already had permission for hot tubs, patios, pools, and all the other things listed.

staticautomatic 2y ago
I don’t know the body of law well but in law school I was taught that west of the Rockies, where most of these prior appropriation water rights shenanigans are, it’s generally illegal to capture rain water because it would interfere with others’ riparian rights.

Chris2048 2y ago

This says: > California's waters cannot be owned by individuals, groups, businesses, or governmental agencies. A contrast with "Every drop belongs to someone" Maybe this is an issue is loose language, but it feels like the state owns the water, not individuals? Perhaps the use of the word belongs means state-allocated?