Collecting Rainwater in Illinois Not Legal? – It’s Complicated

Common sense tells me that this is unnecessarily complicated. Did you know it's not 100% legal to collect rainwater in Illinois? No, you're not gonna get tackled by police for doing it, but the Land of Lincoln amazingly has regulations of what you can and can't do with rain.

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I highly encourage you to check out the sources I'm referring to so you can verify that I'm not making this up. The main site is World Population Review that shared the states where you can legally collect rainwater. I'm astonished there are any that try to regulate this. Pay special attention to the status for Illinois.

How in the heck can Illinois regulate rainwater?

The article references Plumbing-Rainwater Systems Bill SB0038. Here's the exact text from the Illinois General Assembly:

Amends the Illinois Plumbing License Law. Provides that "plumbing" includes rainwater harvesting distribution systems, but does not include any rainwater harvesting distribution system or rainwater harvesting collection system unless otherwise required by the Illinois Plumbing Code. Requires the Illinois Department of Public Health to adopt and publish a minimum code of standards for rainwater harvesting collection systems and rainwater harvesting distribution systems by January 1, 2012. Requires rainwater harvesting collection systems and rainwater harvesting distribution systems to be (A) used only for non-potable uses and (B) constructed in accordance with the Illinois Plumbing Code. Defines "rainwater harvesting collection system" and "rainwater harvesting distribution system". Effective immediately.

(*Blank Stare*)

I am not a political person and don't know/don't care who or what political party decided they could tell us what we can and cannot do with RAIN. Seriously. In my mind, I'm imagining being brought before a court with officers on both sides after being handcuffed for collecting rainwater.