House Bill 1259 would allow Colorado residents to collect up to 100 gallons of rainwater from their rooftops in a single-family residence or a multifamily residence with four or fewer units. (Thinkstock)
Re: “Colorado ‘rain barrel bill’ hits choppy waters in tough House debate,” March 21 news story.
Kudos to state Rep. Lori Saine, R-Dacono, for her courage in breaking with others in her party to support what she described as “common sense” legislation to allow Colorado residents to collect rainwater from their roofs. It is ironic that Republicans in the legislature, ever vigilant to protect their constituents from government intrusion and regulations — such as reasonable measures to require background checks for the purchase of firearms and limits to magazine capacity for weapons — should oppose the collection of precipitation from one’s own roof.
Rainwater is preferable to tapwater for irrigation purposes because it is obviously free, eliminates the cost of water treatment, and often contains desirable nitrogen compounds as a result of the nitrogen-fixing effects of lightning during thunderstorms. However, for conservative lawmakers, high-capacity drums are only acceptable if they contain lethal ammunition rather than nutrient-rich rainwater.
Frank Tapy,Denver
This letter was published in the March 24 edition.I would suggest our state legislature’s time could be better spent conducting the important business of the state of Colorado, as opposed to fussing about rain and rain barrels. Where are their priorities and the “common sense” mentioned in the article?
Having tried to collect rain for two years, I can assure you it is not worth the trouble for the modest amount of water that can be collected. I sincerely doubt there would be enough collectors to make a dent in our ecosystem. In addition, it would simply be an unenforceable law.
Lawrence E. Barnes,Littleton
This letter was published in the March 24 edition.
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