Want to harvest your rainwater? Go ahead, Dept. of Ecology says.

The Department of Ecology has posted a new policy, effectively making it legal to harvest rainwater from your own rooftop. Read about it here.

Because rainwater is part of the water cycle — and flows into rivers and streams — there was some legal confusion over who had the water rights to it. Despite that, of course, many Washingtonians took matters into their own hands with a backyard rain barrel. Now, they can sleep more soundly: The “Interpretive Policy Statement” posted by the department clears the legal matter right up.

So: The rainwater on your roof can be legally collected, stored and used in dry months. And the department has a great list of resources for those who are interested in rainwater collection.

Tags: rain water harvest, Water rights