Like a virus, that little fact slipped into your brain and set up shop there.[1] Would you be interested to know that it isn't true (in the sense that you think it is)? Would it make you sit up and strengthen your mental defenses? I hope so.

I just picked 8 random states [2], picked a random suburb of major cities, and looked up the laws around rainwater collection. It's illegal in NONE of them.

[1] - Not only that, it became strong enough for it to easily overrule the idea of data centers, which are by their nature given concessions by the government, could every conceivably collect rainwater!

[2] - Kentucky, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri, California, Nevada