The story behind the link reads of a couple in Bellingham, WA.
Popular Mechanics is lucky that they interviewed that couple and not one in King County. Just before Ron “Tax to the Max” Sims” left to go work in the Obama Administration, he issued an Executive Order that basically made it illegal to have more than one rail barrel. If they had interviewed a couple that did as the Kroll’s do, that couple would be declared criminals.
Now, because the County Council didn’t pass it, it “technically” isn’t a “law”. However, if the county PUD finds out, they will cite you for what basically amounts to “theft of a natural resource”. Repeatedly. Until they either own your home or you give in and pay the fines. I can’t wait until they cite someone who can afford a lawyer to fight it.
I live in Pierce County. I’m not quite to the stage of the Krolls, but I can see King County from my driveway and that gives me inspiration.
Interesting.
A counterpoint is shown in Oregon’s strange law, but it shows how people USED to think in Oregon.
In Oregon, a citizen may suck up and use up to 11,000 gallons of river water from the Columbia River, EVERY DAY. The last time this law was even highlighted was back in the ’80s, in a bad drought, and some enterprising people who had water trucks would drive down to the boat ramp at 42d St, tank up, and go put 300-400 gallons on lawns, for a price (lawn watering had been prohibited).
The practice was eventually stopped, but only because the law is specific, in that it says that the water must be FOR ONE’S OWN CONSUMPTION AND USE.
You ought to do some research up North there, because I’d say that there is a good chance that the same law is on the books up your way, for local rivers.
The intent of the law was to break the “water rights” monopolies of riverside landowners, and let the “common man” draw water for small farming operations, and that idea is fairly universal.