Ecology trumps God

Who owns the rain water that falls on your property?  If you said you did – – then you’d be mistaken.  The rain water that falls on your property belongs to – – – The Department of Ecology.

I know because they said so.

The Department of Ecology said that they own the water the falls from the sky and that you, a property owner, cannot collect or store the rain water without their permission.

The City of Olympia’s efforts to get rain barrels into the hands of its residents is probably against the law, at least according to the Department of Ecology.

So, after the big stink that was raised this past summer, the Department of Ecology has come up with a solution that it thinks you will support.  The Department of Ecology has just approved a new policy that allows you to collect and store rain water.

The Department of Ecology has now released a policy that says it’s alright for you to collect and store rain water on your own property.  They’ve just given you permission to do so.

But in granting you permission, the Department implied that it has the right to the rain fall in the first place.  Giving you permission gives the Department of Ecology the authority.

It doesn’t make any difference to the Department of Ecology that the rain water is the prevue of Mother Nature, or God if you prefer.  The Department of Ecology is above both.

When it comes to water the Department of Ecology trumps God.

So, feel free to collect and store rain water on your own property.  It’s great for watering plants or watering your garden.  Some women even use it to wash their hair.

Just remember, the Department of Ecology is letting you use its water.

In approving the new use, the Department said that it might need to control the use of rain water if too many people start collecting and storing it.  To do so might impact the flow in the streams.

The Department of Ecology, by force of policy, has implied that it owns the rain water.  It would be incumbent upon the Washington State Legislature to actually define who really has control.   

If no one speaks up, the Department of Ecology wins by default.