The war against our right to collect water is just one of the many fronts in the federal government’s attempt to eradicate our right to private property. Let’s not forget that this is a truly global problem as well.
Headlines & Head Lies
Collecting Rainwater May be Considered a Privilege, Not a Right
If you think you own the right to water that falls on your own property, you could be mistaken.
States such as Utah, Colorado and Washington (more on the various laws later) have had laws on the books limiting property owners from collecting the water falling on their own homes and land since officials say the rain belongs to someone else.
In 2008, Mark Miller of Mark Miller Toyota in Utah, found out some startling information.
In order to make his dealership more environmentally friendly, Miller began collecting rainwater on top of his building in cisterns in order to wash cars with it.
However, state officials said without a valid water right, Miller could not legally divert rainwater.
“I was surprised, we thought it was our water,” Miller said in a news interview.
In the same interview, a state official eluded to the fact that it’s an old legal concept to protect people that have water rights.
Yep that’s right, even with a natural occurrence such as rain, one could technically say it’s being turned into a commodity.
What’s next, state officials saying those who have a garden on their property can no longer garden unless they pay a dirt tax? Just consider how this can be expanded into different areas including air, plants, etc. and I guarantee you will come to some troubling conclusions.
A compromise in this case was, thankfully, reached.
Miller would be using a Salt Lake City water right, and diverting it under their name.
More on this story can be seen in the below video:
Despite the hurdles Miller had to go through to reach a comprise with the state as to water rights, Miller did win a Gold LEED certification.
According to the article, Utah buildings deemed eco-friendly, energy-efficient, appearing in The Salt Lake Tribune on July 13, 2009, writer Steven Oberbeck not only explains the LEED award, but elaborates on how environmentally friendly Miller’s dealership is.
“LEED stands for Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. It is a program of the nonprofit U.S. Green Building Council that provides an independent third-party verification that a building was constructed in an environmentally responsible fashion, and is a healthy place to work.”
Imagine that, non-profit and private entities coming together (which exemplifies limited government) could actually help the environment.
What makes Miller’s dealership worthy of the award?
- An innovative skylight system to optimize natural daylight.
- Low-flow faucets and toilets, as well as waterless urinals, to conserve water.
- A cistern system to collect rainwater, which is used to wash cars.
- Exterior cladding and interior finishes made entirely from recycled and other environmentally friendly materials, and
- High-speed doors that provide access for automobiles to the showrooms and services bay. They cut down on the loss of hot or cool air from the dealership, depending upon the season.
“‘It was always our goal to achieve a Gold LEED certification,’ Miller said. ‘Although if I had known at the time what was going to happen to the economy (and the automobile business), I might have thought a second time about making the investment.’”
Now that we know the story, its pertinent to illustrate other state laws.
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Contributed by Brent Daggett of End the Lie.
