What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? oregon
we have had a house for 70 years in oregon. we have been using a spring for drinking water. now the state says we should have filed for surface water rights 30 years ago, and we don't have water rights and the only way to get water is to drill a well for ground water.
now we use 100 gallons a day or 36,500 per year of this spring surface water. if we drill a well, we can use 15,000 gallons per DAY, or in 2 days of well water, a whole years worth of surface water.
we have used the water for 70 years and the creek flow is what that creek flow is. it seems like we should be grandfathered in and be allowed to continue to use the spring water. is there legal precedence for this type of grandfathered in water, or am i just out of luck and we have to drill a well?
we have had a house for 70 years in oregon. we have been using a spring for drinking water. now the state says we should have filed for surface water rights 30 years ago, and we don't have water rights and the only way to get water is to drill a well for ground water.
now we use 100 gallons a day or 36,500 per year of this spring surface water. if we drill a well, we can use 15,000 gallons per DAY, or in 2 days of well water, a whole years worth of surface water.
we have used the water for 70 years and the creek flow is what that creek flow is. it seems like we should be grandfathered in and be allowed to continue to use the spring water. is there legal precedence for this type of grandfathered in water, or am i just out of luck and we have to drill a well?