Gary Harrington’s Oregon case is often invoked as proof that collecting rainwater can get you arrested. But his trouble involved three reservoirs and dams that intercepted water headed toward a creek—not a container beneath a gutter. Oregon’s water-rights system governs access to water that may already be allocated to others. Treating that dispute as a warning against every household rain barrel erases the most important detail: the source and scale of the collection matter.
For ordinary homeowners, that distinction offers reassurance, not a blanket exemption. Rooftop rainwater collection is widely permitted, but requirements vary by location, and ponds or projects affecting natural drainage can raise different legal questions. Before installing a system, check with your state water agency and local building or plumbing offices. What began as an unsettling conversation became a practical lesson: conserving water need not mean fearing the law, but knowing the rules should come first.
