Water is certainly one of the most beneficial resources we now have within the event of a natural disaster. Whether you are coping with the aftermath of a natural disaster, social breakdown, or simply an prolonged outage of standard water supply, having loads of water and the power to get it is important.
One of the oldest and still among the best ways to do that is by harvesting rainwater. But some states actually restrict the practice, and a couple of have outlawed it altogether.
What about Montana? Is rainwater harvesting illegal in Montana?
No, collecting rainwater in Montana just isn’t illegal. However, residents might want to abide by all applicable state and native laws on this matter, and specifically respect other residents’ water rights.
The excellent news about Montana is that there aren’t really any laws on rainwater harvesting on the state level.
However, depending on where you reside, you could run into some issues on the local level and you may all the time have to be careful to respect your water rights.
Overall, Montana is an excellent place to go if you should catch some rain. I’ll let you know more below…
Is rainwater harvesting illegal on the state level in Montana?
No, because Montana has no laws or regulations restricting rainwater harvesting on the state level. As a result, Montana residents are mostly free to gather rainwater every time they need.
However, rainwater harvesting must still comply with all other applicable state laws and codes. It’s also value noting that the state of Montana encourages its residents to conserve water every time possible.
Harvesting rainwater is certainly one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways for residents to conserve water, and Montana is doing nothing to dissuade residents from doing so.
Is rainwater harvesting illegal on the county level?
NO. There is not any county that I actually have found during my research that completely bans rainwater harvesting.
But unlike state-level regulations, Montana counties and municipalities can have their very own guidelines or restrictions on rainwater harvesting.
This normally implies that you could obtain a permit to put in the system, have it inspected, or that the system and its components must comply with zoning or water/sewage/constructing codes.
So it is vital to examine along with your local authority if there are any laws that apply to the world.
Under what conditions can Montana residents collect rainwater?
Rainwater might be collected at any time and for any reason, so long as it is finished in a way that doesn’t violate the law, infringe on the rights of others or cause damage to the environment.
In particular, rainwater harvesting must in a roundabout way or not directly affect another person’s rainwater harvesting water rights.
Unlikely, except within the case of the most important collecting systems, but possible. It can also be possible that somebody claims that your collection infringes their rights!
Generally, water rights are awarded on a first-in, first-in basis. The first one who directs water to a useful use acquires the appropriate to make use of it.
This has led to a process often known as ‘water appropriation’ where individuals or entities compete for a certain volume or amount of water.
In times of scarcity, it may very well be argued that rainwater harvesting has deprived someone of water because their stream, pond, spring or whatever wasn’t recharging.
For this reason, in Montana, it’s advisable to seek the advice of with local experts, including attorneys or water rights specialists, to be sure that water harvesting practices respect the rights of others, and to debate unexpected circumstances where doubts may exist.
Is there a limit to the quantity of rainwater that might be collected in Montana?
No, not on the state level. Montana has no statewide rainwater harvesting regulations, and consequently there isn’t a set limit to how much rainwater might be harvested at any given time, or how much you may have readily available at one time.
But once more, it’s an excellent idea to examine along with your local authorities, as some Montana counties and municipalities may set limits on the quantity of rainwater or the scale and variety of tanks that might be connected at one time.
If there are not any local laws or guidelines for water collection, it is often the user’s responsibility to follow “sensible” water usage practices.
Collecting excessive amounts of water could also be considered inappropriate given how much water is being deprived of natural sources corresponding to streams, rivers and other bodies of water.
What does Montana allow residents to make use of rainwater for?
Montana doesn’t specify what residents can use harvested rainwater for, but there is often legal precedent that enables one of these water for use for non-potable purposes: these include irrigation, cleansing and sanitation, watering livestock, aquaculture, and even industrial uses.
Typically, using rainwater as drinking water requires special treatment to make it secure for human consumption. It’s not as clean as you think that!
And while the state doesn’t have specific laws regarding using rainwater as drinking water, again, it’s likely you may be subject to state and native health regulations on this matter.
But in either case, those wishing to make use of rainwater for drinking or cooking would profit from filtration and purification systems to eliminate any harmful bacteria or pathogens.
Does Montana require special equipment or rainwater harvesting controls?
NO. Montana doesn’t specify what sort of hardware or installation is required for personal rain catchers. Nor does it mandate the control of rainwater harvesting.
But this is simply the state itself and only for personal systems; local authorities can, and in any case the state has a sophisticated one hydraulic code especially for rainwater harvesting systems.
Does Montana offer rainwater harvesting incentives?
Unfortunately not. Montana doesn’t currently provide any incentives for rainwater harvesting. However, they do encourage water conservation, and rainwater harvesting can assist with that.
The state government promotes catchment systems in homes and businesses as a option to reduce the impact on their water supply during drought-like conditions.
While discounts and incentives are out NO offered in Montana, other incentives corresponding to tax credits have been proposed up to now but haven’t been funded.
Even so, make sure you check along with your local agencies to see in the event that they offer tax breaks, equipment rebates, or other incentives. And perhaps as rainwater harvesting becomes much more popular within the state, the incentives will actually be funded!
Bottom line: Is Montana an excellent state for rainwater harvesting?
Montana is a excellent state for rainwater harvesting. No state-level restrictions and minimal local restrictions make it easy to get your system up and running.
As long as the gathering doesn’t infringe the rights of others, you may freely collect rainwater. Montana has an arid climate, averaging only 15 inches of rain per yr, which may easily result in drought.
This makes water conservation a priority for the state, and creating catchment systems is a terrific idea for preppers within the state—or anyone.
While there are currently no incentives to reap rainwater in Montana, you’ll still reap many advantages from your personal rain harvesting practices!
