Until Thursday when Governor John Hickenlooper signed a bill legalizing rain barrels, it was a crime to catch and use rainwater in the state of Colorado. That’s right — the state legalized recreational use of marijuana before a commonplace water conservation tool.
Yesterday, Coloradans gathered at the bill-signing event to celebrate this win for water-conscious consumers.
“This is a victory for Coloradans who care about their state’s incredible rivers, lakes, streams, and waters. Rain barrels are an important educational tool and a great first step toward conservation and increasing awareness about the water challenges facing Colorado,” said Pete Maysmith, executive director with the nonprofit Conservation Colorado.
While the legislation might sound like common sense to many observers, the legalization of rain capture faced a difficult path through the state legislature. A similar proposal died just last year.
As previously reported by ThinkProgress, Senator Jerry Sonnenberg (R-Sterling, CO), chair of the Senate Agriculture, Natural Resources and Energy Committee was a vocal critic and tough opponent of the rain barrel bill. His concerns were grounded in a strict interpretation of western water law and the system of prior appropriation. He argued that rain barrel use will cut into “senior” water rights, especially for agricultural uses.
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Supporters of the bill pointed to a study from Colorado State University demonstrating that the use of rain barrels would not decrease the amount of surface runoff going to downstream users, discrediting Senator Sonnenberg’s argument. This year’s version of the bill also included amendments to clarify senior water rights and even garnered support from the Colorado Farm Bureau.
The bill, which will allow residents to recycle water in a state with a history of drought, passed the full Colorado Senate on April 1 and headed to the Governor’s desk, where it was signed yesterday.
Water conservation advocates view this victory as an important step toward water conservation in the West.
“The entire West is facing water challenges with a growing population, limited water supplies, and a changing climate,” said Jon Goldin-Dubois, the President of Western Resource Advocates. “We need increased water conservation to help meet these challenges. Someone with a rain barrel develops a better awareness of the water cycle, leading to a needed increased water conservation ethic.” He then pivoted to the state water plan that was adopted late last year: “We look forward to working with state leaders to build on this step and implement our new Colorado Water Plan.”
In November, the Colorado Water Conservation Board released the Colorado Water Plan, following on an executive order from Governor Hickenlooper. The plan, part of a growing trend for a collaborative approach to water scarcity in the West, aims to create measurable goals and tangible actions to address increased competition for limited water resources in the state.
Nicole Gentile is the Deputy Director of the Public Lands Project at the Center for American Progress. You can follow her on Twitter at @nicolegentile.