Can you legally collect rainwater in Colorado?

Denver (Dara Zeier) — Relief from the summer heat has arrived in Colorado in time for the weekend, along with an influx of rain and rainwater.

The Colorado Division of Water Resources said you can collect rainwater at residential properties under certain conditions.

Who can collect rainwater?

According to Colorado Revised Statute 37-96.5-103, rainwater can be collected at any single family residence or multi-family residence with four or fewer units. Each home in a row of homes joined by common side walls, such as duplexes, triplexes, or townhomes, is considered a single family-residence.

Colorado law says rainwater can be collected in a rain barrel, which is a storage container with a sealable lid. It must be located above ground of a residential home and used for collecting precipitation from a downspout of a rooftop.

Here is what is and isn’t permitted when it comes to collecting rainwater:

No more than two rain barrels with a combined storage capacity of 110 gallons or less are allowed.
The collected rainwater must be used for outdoor purposes, like irrigating your lawn or garden, filling your hot tub, or washing your car.
You can’t use the rainwater as drinking water or indoor for household purposes.

Driving in the wet weather

The wet weather can also cause hazardous driving conditions.

It is important to remember the following tips from AAA Colorado when you drive in the rain:

Make sure your windshield wipers are in good shape
Make sure all of your lights are working
Turn your lights on when you drive in the rain
Avoid using your cruise control
Slow down and leave room

Working with a Car Accident Attorney

If you or somebody you care about has been injured in an accident, you need to speak to an attorney immediately. If you believe that the accident was caused by another driver, a Denver car accident attorney may be able to help determine liability, handle all communication with the insurance carriers, and work to recover full compensation for your losses.

Car accidents that occur in rainy conditions could certainly be the fault of other parties, particularly if other drivers failed to take the rainy conditions into account when operating their vehicle.

Car Accident Resources

How The Bendinelli Law Firm Can Help

At the Bendinelli Law Firm, we make sure you maximize your recovery. The skilled attorneys at our car accident law firm have been helping personal injury victims in Colorado for 20 years.

Our Denver car accident attorneys bring a wealth of legal experience and team-oriented strategies to the table.
We focus on providing a client-centered approach to every case that we take, which means we take the time to foster genuine relationships with every injury victim so we can best serve their needs.
We have a track record of success with helping injury victims throughout the state of Colorado, and we are regularly able to recover significant settlements and verdicts on behalf of our clients.
We have successfully recovered compensation in thousands of injury cases spanning more than two decades.

Call 1-800-ATTORNEY today for a free consultation with a trial attorney.