Water conservation is a big deal in Australia. This is due to the fact it is the driest inhabited continent on the Earth. Because of this, there are restrictions on watering, pools and even washing vehicles. Rain barrels are widely used throughout the country and their use is encouraged by the government. It seems odd that here in the United States, there is only one state where the harvesting of rainwater is protected; congratulations, Texas.

The good news is that laws restricting the use of rain barrels have been diminishing as of late. Colorado continues to change laws concerning the harvesting of water. And though they still have restrictions in place, it is no longer downright forbidden to utilize a rain barrel. In fact, states are beginning to follow Texas’ lead and are actually encouraging the use of rain barrels and water conservation. For example, North Dakota has several government websites that recommend setting up rain barrels and water harvesting is encouraged by the North Carolina government.

Water laws are both convoluted and confusing. There needs to be a movement towards enacting laws encouraging water conservation at the public level. That is, individual water conservation, like through the use of a rain barrel, should be rewarded instead of thwarted. Archaic laws that stipulate moisture in the atmosphere belongs to a state or the government need to be wiped clean from the books. It is fine time we took a page from the Australian government and give back the rights of individuals to capture and utilize rainwater in any way they want.