Or, as the Washington Free Beacon and Fox News say (and several people submitted to
Of course, it makes sense for Fox News to raise the alarm about attempts to expose astroturfing.
The water rights aren't necessarily owned by the government, but by the people downstream who were using the water before you—maybe a municipal water system, but just as likely a farmer, an industrial plant, etc. By capturing rainwater you would be infringing on their private property rights in that water.
Colorado, in 2009, began issuing permits for residential rainwater collection, in part because of a study that showed that in some locations most rainwater evaporated or was used by plants before it reached a stream.
"He said that wasn't really possible and we don't have any proof that we did it.
"I asked them: 'Is it all right for us to get proof?'
"He said: 'Yeah, sure, but you'll never be able to get anything out of it.'"
That said, twisting the doorknob is probably an offense under the CFAA.
"What man has done, man can aspire to do." -- Jerry Pournelle, about space flight