Rainwater Harvesting

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2012 – 2013

Submitted by:

SASHI KANT KURMI

Roll No.: 429, Reg. No.: 122-1121-0381-10

B.COM. HONS. IN ACCOUNTING & FINANCE
CITY COLLEGE OF COMMERCE & BUSINESS ADMINSTRATION
 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I am thankful to all respected Professors and Teachers for advice and

computation, with their guidance and supervision I have been able to
complete this project.
The project taught me a lot about Rainwater harvesting and ways to
preserve it. I am thankful to my Professor Mrs. Vineeta Gupta for
giving me this topic.
I have been able to lean a lot about it
Contents:
1. Introduction

2. Need for rainwater harvesting

3. Reasons for rainwater harvesting

4. Advantages and disadvantages

5. Objectives

6. Methods

7. Current Status

8. Observation & Findings

9. Conclusion

10. Suggestions

11. Bibliography
 1.Introduction

Millions of people throughout the world do not have access to clean

water for domestic purposes. In many parts of the world conventional

Piped water is either absent, unreliable or too expensive. One of the

biggest challenges of the 21st century is to overcome the growing water

shortage. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) has thus regained its importance

as a valuable alternative or supplementary water resource, along

with more conventional water supply technologies. Much actual or

potential water shortages can be relieved if rainwater harvesting is

Practiced more widely.

 People collect and store rainwater in buckets, tanks, ponds and wells.
This is commonly referred to as rainwater harvesting and has been
practiced for centuries. Rainwater can be used for multiple purposes
ranging from irrigating crops to washing, cooking and drinking

Rainwater harvesting is a simple low-cost technique that requires

minimum specific expertise or knowledge and offers many benefits.
Collected rainwater can supplement other water sources when they
become scarce or are of low quality like brackish groundwater or polluted
surface water in the rainy season. It also provides a good alternative and
replacement in times of drought or when the water table drops and wells
go dry. One should, however, realize that rainfall itself cannot be managed.
Particularly in arid or semi-arid areas, the prevailing

climatic conditions make it of crucial importance to use the limited amount

of rainfall as efficiently as possible. The collected rainwater is a valuable
supplement that would otherwise be lost by surface run-off or evaporation.
 During the past decade, RWH has been actively reintroduced by local
organizations as an option for increasing access to water in currently
underserved areas (rural or urban). Unfortunately decision-makers,
planners, engineers and builders often overlook this action. The reason that
RWH is rarely considered is often simply due to lack of informal
introduction

on feasibility both technical and otherwise. During the past decade the
technology has, however, quickly regained popularity as users realize the
benefits of a relatively clean, reliable and affordable water source at home .

In many areas RWH has now been introduced as part of an integrated

water supply, where the town water supply is unreliable, or where local
water sources dry up for a part of the year. But RWH can also be
introduced as the sole water source for communities or households.

The technology is flexible and adaptable to a very wide variety of

conditions. It is used in the richest and the poorest societies, as well as in
the wettest and the driest regions on our planet.
 2. Need for rainwater harvesting

Due to pollution of both groundwater and surface waters, and the

overall increased demand for water resources due to population growth,
many communities all over the world are approaching the limits of their
traditional water resources. Therefore they have to turn to alternative or
‘new’ resources like rainwater harvesting (RWH). Rainwater harvesting
has regained importance as a valuable alternative or supplementary water
resource. Utilization of rainwater is now an option along with more
‘conventional’ water supply technologies, particularly in rural areas, but
increasingly in urban areas as well.
RWH has proven to be of great value for arid and semi-arid countries or
regions, small coral and volcanic islands, and remote and scattered human
settlements.

Rainwater harvesting has been used for ages and examples can be found in
all the great civilisations throughout history. The technology can be very
simple or complex depending on the specific local
circumstances.Traditionally, in Uganda and in Sri Lanka rainwater is
collected from trees, using banana leaves or stems as gutters; up to 200
litres may be collected from a large tree in a single rain storm.With the
increasing availability of corrugated iron roofing in many developing
countries, people often place a small container under their leaves to collect
rainwater. One 20-litre container of clean water captured

from the roof can save a walk of many kilometres to the nearest

clean water source. Besides small containers, larger sub-surface andsurface

tanks are used for collecting larger amounts of rainwater.

3. Reasons for rainwater harvesting

The reasons for collecting and using rainwater for domestic use are
plentiful and varied:

Increasing water needs/demands

The increased need for water results in lower groundwater tables

and depleted reservoirs. Many piped water supply systems fail. The use of
rainwater is an useful alternative.
Variations in water availability
The availability of water from sources such as lakes, rivers and

shallow groundwater can fluctuate strongly. Collecting and storing

rainwater can provide water for domestic use in periods of water shortage.
Rainwater may also provide a solution when the water quality is low or
varies during the rainy season in rivers and other surface water resources
(for example in Bangladesh).
Advantage of collection and storage near the place of use
Traditional sources are located at some distance from the community.

Collecting and storing water close to households improves the

accessibility and convenience of water supplies and has a positive

impact on health. It can also strengthen a sense of ownership.

Quality of water supplies

Water supplies can become polluted either through industrial or

human wastes or by intrusion of minerals such as arsenic, salt

(coastal area) or fluoride. Rainwater is generally of good quality.

 4.Advantages and disadvantages

When considering the possibility of using rainwater catchment systems for

domestic supply, it is important to consider both the advantages and
disadvantages and to compare these with other available options. RWH is
a popular household option as the water source is close by, convenient and
requires a minimum of energy to collect. An advantage for household
systems is that users themselves maintain and control their systems
without the need to rely on other members of ‘the community. Since almost
all roofing material is acceptable for collecting water for household
purposes, worldwide many RWH systems have been implemented
successfully.

However, RWH has some disadvantages. The main disadvantage of RWH

is that one can never be sure how much rain will fall. Other disadvantages,
like the relatively high investment costs and the importance of
maintenance, can largely be overcome through proper design,

ownership and by using as much locally available material as possible to

ensure sustainability (and cost recovery). The involvement of the local
private sector and local authorities can facilitate upscaling of RWH. Some
advantages and disadvantages are given .

Advantages of rainwater harvesting: ~

 Relatively cheap materials can be used for construction of containers
and collecting surfaces

 Construction methods are relatively straightforward

 Low maintenance costs and requirements

 Collected rainwater can be consumed without treatment providing a

clean collecting surface has been used

 Provides a supply of safe water close to homes, schools or clinics,

encourages increased consumption, reduces the time women and
children spend collecting water, reduces back strain or injuries from
carrying heavy water containers.

 Simple construction: Construction of RWH systems is simple and

local people can easily be trained to build these themselves.This
reduces costs and encourages moreparticipation, ownership and
sustainability at community level.

 Good Maintenance: Operation and maintenance of a household

catchment system are controlled solely by the tank owner’s family.
As such, this is a good alternative to poor maintenance and
monitoring of a centralized piped water supply.

 Relatively good water quality: Rainwater is better than other

available or traditional sources (groundwater may be unusable due
to fluoride, salinity or arsenic).
  Low environmental impact: Rainwater is a renewable resource and
no damage is done to the environment.

 Convenience at household level: It provides water at the point of

consumption

 Not affected by local geology or topography:Rainwater collection

always provides an alternative wherever rain falls.

 Flexibility and adaptability of systems to suit local circumstances

and budgets, including the increased availability of low-cost tanks
(e.g. made of Ferro cement, plastics or stone/bricks).

Disadvantages of rainwater harvesting: ~

 Supplies can be contaminated by bird/animal droppings on

catchment surfaces and guttering structures unless they are
cleaned/flushed before use.

 Poorly constructed water jars/containers can suffer from algal growth

and invasion by insects, lizards and rodents.

 They can act as a breeding ground for disease vectors if they are not
properly maintained
 High investment costs: The cost of rainwater catchment systems is
almost fully incurred during initial construction. Costs can be
reduced by simple construction and the use of local materials.

 Usage and maintenance: Proper operation and regular maintenance

is a very important factor that is often neglected. Regular inspection,
cleaning, and occasional repairs are essential for the success of a
system.

 Water quality is vulnerable: Rainwater quality may be affected by

air pollution, animal or bird droppings, insects, dirt and organic
matter.

 Supply is sensitive to droughts: Occurrence of long dry spells and

droughts can cause water supply problems.

 Limited supply: The supply is limited by the amount of rainfall and

the size of the catchment area and storage reservoir.

5. Objectives of Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting is a way of capturing and
storing water during rainy periods for use in
times when there is little or no rain available. In
certain regions of the world, rainwater
harvesting can be the difference between having
a plentiful crop and dried up vines. There are
several objectives behind rainwater harvesting.

 Increase Available Water During Dry Season

Many ecosystems have wet and dry seasons. Because the dry seasons can
consist of weeks or months of little to no rain, it is important to capture
during the rainy season and have it available for use during the dry season.
Rainwater harvesting enables you to store rain when it is prevalent to be
used when there is no rain.

 Reduce Flooding and Erosion

By capturing and storing large amounts of rainwater in reservoirs, it is
possible to reduce the amount of runoff and limit the impact on the land of
large rainfalls. By capturing rainwater you are basically reducing the
 amount of water that is flowing across the land, which reduces flooding
chances and the impact of erosion.

 Prevent Over use of Aquifers

As cities and towns grow the need for water increases. Many municipalities
rely upon aquifers deep below the ground for this water supply. The problem
is it takes a long time to replenish an aquifer if it is quickly drained. By
harvesting rainwater for later use, the demand on aquifers is reduced, which
enables them to remain full.

 Save Money

Pumping water up from underground aquifers can be a fairly expensive

operation. It is estimated that for every one meter rise in water level, there is a
reduction of 0.4 KWH of electricity usage. So by having water closer to the
surface, or at the surface in reservoirs, less electricity is needed to pump it so
less money is spent

6.Methods of Rainwater Harvesting

Catchment :

Any surface or the paved areas can be treated as catchment. Even the
footpaths and roads can act as the catchment, as these areas too receive the
direct rainfall. Rooftops are the best among them because of the large
coefficient of run off generated from them and there are less chances of
contamination of water.

Conveyance :
Conveyance system basically includes rain gutters and down pipes which
collects the rain water from catchment to the storage tank. These rain
gutters are usually built during the time of construction. They need to be
designed appropriately as to avoid the loss of water during the conveyance
process.

Storage :
The most important part of the rain water harvesting is the storage system.
The storage system is designed according to the amount of water that is to
be stored. The design and site (location) of the storage or the recharge
system should be properly chosen. The areas which receives the rainfall
frequently, there a simple storage system could be constructed, to meet the
daily water requirements. Otherwise the areas which receive the lesser
rainfall, there the storage systems are quite essential. Rain barrels,
underground or open slumps are mostly used to collect rain water. Make
sure that the storage system is properly sealed and does nor leak. Use
Chlorine from time to time to keep the water clean.

7.Current Status

Currently in China and Brazil, rooftop rainwater harvesting is being

practiced for providing drinking water, domestic water, water for
livestock, water for small irrigation and a way to replenish ground water
levels. Gansu province in China and semi-arid north east Brazil have the
largest rooftop rainwater harvesting projects ongoing.
  In Bermuda, the law requires all new construction to include rainwater
harvesting adequate for the residents.
 The U.S. Virgin Islands have a similar law.
 In Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, the houses of the Diola-people are
frequently equipped with homebrew rainwater harvesters made from
local, organic materials.
 In the Irrawaddy Delta of Myanmar, the groundwater is saline and
communities rely on mud-lined rainwater ponds to meet their drinking
water needs throughout the dry season. Some of these ponds are
centuries old and are treated with great reverence and respect.
 Until 2009 in Colorado, water rights laws almost completely restricted
rainwater harvesting; a property owner who captured rainwater was
deemed to be stealing it from those who have rights to take water from
the watershed. Now, residential well owners that meet certain criteria
may obtain a permit to install a rooftop precipitation collection system(SB
09-080). Up to 10 large scale pilot studies may also be permitted (HB 09-
1129).


 In India, rain water harvesting was first introduced by Andhra

Pradesh ex-Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. He made a rule
that every house which is going to built in cities of that state must
have a percolation pit/rainwater harvesting system. This rule
increased the ground water level in good phase. After his term as
Chief Minister, the next leaders neglected this system.
 In the state of Tamil Nadu, rainwater harvesting was made
compulsory for every building to avoid ground water depletion. It
proved excellent results within five years, and every other state took
it as role model. Since its implementation, Chennai saw a 50 percent
rise in water level in five years and the water quality significantly
improved.
 In Rajasthan, rainwater harvesting has traditionally been practiced by
the people of the Thar Desert. There are many ancient water
harvesting systems in Rajasthan, which have now been revived
Lanka rainwater harvesting forum is leading the Sri Lanka's initiative.

Traditional methods of rain water harvesting Pits :- Recharge pits are

constructed for recharging the shallow aquifer. These are constructed 1 to 2
m, wide and to 3 m. deep which are back filled with boulders, gravels,
coarse sand.
Trenches:- These are constructed when the permeable stram is available at
shallow depth. Trench may be 0.5 to 1 m. wide, 1 to 1.5m. deep and 10 to 20
m. long depending up availability of water. These are back filled with filter.
materials.
Dug wells:- Existing dug wells may be utilised as recharge structure and
water should pass through filter media before putting into dug well.
Hand pumps :- The existing hand pumps may be used for recharging the
shallow/deep aquifers, if the availability of water is limited. Water should
pass through filter media before diverting it into hand pumps.
Recharge wells :- Recharge wells of 100 to 300 mm. diameter are generally
constructed for recharging the deeper aquifers and water is passed through
filter media to avoid choking of recharge wells.
Recharge Shafts :- For recharging the shallow aquifer which are located
below clayey surface, recharge shafts of 0.5 to 3 m. diameter and 10 to 15 m.
deep are constructed and back filled with boulders, gravels & coarse sand

8.Observation & Finding

Principle #1: Begin with long and thoughtful observation.

Principle #2: Start harvesting rain at the top of your watershed, then
work your way down.

Principle #3: Always plan an overflow route, and manage overflow as a

resource.

4. Start with small and simple strategies that harvest the rain as close as
possible to where it falls.

5. Spread, slow and infiltrate the flow of water into the soil.

6. Maximize living and organic groundcover.

7. Maximize beneficial relationships and efficiency by “stacking
functions.”

9.Conclusion

 It is a very useful process during rainy season and during the scarcity
of water.by doing this process we can safe water for domestic
purpose,drinking purpose and for future needs.it is a very simple
and affordable process.with the decreasing availability of water, rain
water harvesting is the best option.
 Appropriate Project funds were used to build a small water
harvesting system for the school garden and a drip irrigation system
for the reforestation in an area designated for the newly constructed
Visitor´s Center for the local forest reserve, Bosque de Zárate, a
nationally declared protected area.
 10. Suggestion
The system now functions with very little water, and
serves as an example to community members as well as visitors to
the reserve of appropriate irrigation and water management
techniques. As the trees grow older and need less assistance, it is
agreed that the community will locate the tank under the roof of the
Visitor´s Center, harvesting rains that fall upon the large surface.

11. Bibliography

 Coombes PJ (2007). Energy and economic impacts of rainwater tanks on

the operation of regional water systems. Australian Journal of Water
Resources 11 (2) 177 – 191.
 Ferguson M (2012) a 12-month rainwater tank water savings and energy
use study for 52 real life installations. Ozwater12 COnference, Sydney,
Australia: May 2012.
 Frasier, Gary, and Lloyd Myers. Handbook of Water Harvesting.
Washington D.C.: U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Agricultural Research
Service, 1983
 Geerts, S., Raes, D. (2009). Deficit irrigation as an on-farm strategy to
maximize crop water productivity in dry areas. Agric. Water Manage 96,
1275–1284
 Gould, John, and Erik Nissen-Peterson. Rainwater Catchment Systems.
UK: Intermediate Technology Publications, 1999.
 Hemenway, Toby. Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture.
Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing Company, 2000.
 Lowes, P. (1987). "The Water Decade: Half Time". In in John Pickford
(ed.). Developing World Water. London: Grosvenor Press International.
pp. 16–17. ISBN 0-946027-29-3.
 http://www.tn.gov.in/dtp/rainwater.htm
 http://mastec.nic.in/MASTEC/Report%20Rain%20Water%20Harvesting.
pdf
 http://in.images.search.yahoo.com/search/images;_ylt=A2oKmLy9IPhQ
NEIAb9u7HAx.?p=evs+project+rain+water+harvesting&fr=ush-
ans&fr2=piv-web