Rainwater Harvesting
Washington residents are now free to collect and store rainwater for use on their property without having to obtain a water-rights permit.
A policy statement issued last week by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) clarified that permits are not required for either the use of or the on-site storage of rainwater collected by a rooftop system or a guzzler. (Guzzlers are devices used to catch and store rainwater and dew to provide wildlife or livestock with drinking water.)
In the policy statement, Ecology reserved the right to regulate the storage and use of collected rainwater in the future if rainwater harvesting became widely-used enough to negatively impact stream flows or existing water rights. Policy statements issued by Ecology are not new law; they clarify or interpret existing law.
Shoreline Master Program Grants Issued to Local Governments
Ecology is providing $6.3 million in grants to local governments in the Puget Sound region to update their shoreline master programs (SMPs).
Last month Ecology issued $1.2 million in grants to governments in Clark County to update their SMPs.
Local jurisdictions are required to create SMPs to meet their obligations under the Shoreline Management Act. The act requires local jurisdictions to periodically review and revise their shoreline regulations in order to minimize environmental damage to shoreline areas. (Northwest Hub covered recent litigation of SMPs here and here.)
