RAIN WATER HARVESTING

What is rain water harvesting?

Rainwater harvesting is a way to collect and store rainwater from roofs, the ground, or rock catchments. It can be done with
simple tools like jars and pots or with more complicated tools like underground check dams.
Rainwater harvesting is the process of collecting and storing rainwater so that it can be used on-site instead of letting it run
off.

Uses of rain water

 Recharge underground water
 Gardening
 Livestock
 Drinking purpose
 for irrigation purpose

Advantages
 Technologies for collecting rainwater are easy to set up and use.
 People in the area can easily learn how to use these technologies, and building materials are easy to find.
 Also, running costs are almost nothing.
 Most of the time, water collected from roof catchments is good enough to use in homes.
How we can harvest rainwater?

Broadly there are two ways harvesting rainwater.

(i) Surface runoff harvesting.
(ii) Roof top rainwater harvesting.

Surface runoff harvesting: -

When it rains in a city, surface runoff takes the water away. Using the right methods, this runoff could be caught and used to
fill up aquifers.

Roof top rainwater harvesting (RTRWH)

It's a way to collect rainwater right where it falls. In rooftop harvesting, the roof of the house or building is turned into a
catchment area, and rainwater is collected from the roof. This method works very well and costs less.

Components of the roof top rainwater harvesting system.

1- Catchment area
2- Transportation
3- First flush
4- Storage system
5- Delivery system
6- Filtration system
Catchment area
The part of a rainwater harvesting system that gets rain directly is called the "catchment." It could be a terrace, a courtyard,
or open ground that is paved or not.

Transportation
Rainwater from the roof should flow down pipes or drains to a system for storing or collecting it. Pipes that carry water should
be made of ISI HDPE/PVC and be able to withstand UV light.
First Flush
First flush is a tool that is used to get rid of the water from the first shower. The first rain shower needs to be washed away
so that the possible contaminants in the air and on the catchment roof don't get into the water that can be stored or reused. It
will also help clean the roof of silt and other things that build up when it's dry. At the end of each drainpipe, there should be a
first rain separator.

Storage system
All collected rain water are store in tank or barrels used.
Delivery system
It is a way to get water to where it is needed. Pumps are used to get water out of the tank and send it to many different
places. Pipes bring water to places.
Filtration system
Filters are used to treat water so that turbidity, colour, and microorganisms can be taken out. After rainwater goes through
the first flush, it should go through filters. There are many different kinds of filters, but their main job is to clean water.

Sand Gravel Filter

These are common types of filters. As shown in the figure, they are made of bricks and filled with pebbles, gravel, and sand.
Wire mesh should be used to separate each layer.
Charcoal Filter
Charcoal filter can be made in-situ or in a drum. Pebbles, gravel, sand and charcoal as shown in the figure should fill the
drum or chamber. Each layer should be separated by wire mesh. Thin layer of charcoal is used to absorb odor if any.

PVC- Pipe filter

This filter can be made from a PVC pipe that is 1 to 1.20 meters long. The diameter of the pipe depends on how big the roof
is. Six-inch-diameter pipe is enough for a 1500-square-foot roof, while eight-inch-diameter pipe should be used for roofs that
are bigger than 1500 square feet. Wire mesh separates the pipe into three parts.
Recharging ground water aquifers
Commonly used recharging methods are: -
a) Recharging of bore wells
b) Recharging of dug wells.
c) Recharge pits
d) Recharge Trenches
e) Percolation Tanks
Recharging of bore wells
Recharge Pits

Soak away or Recharge Shafts

Recharging of dug wells

Why do people harvest rainwater?

 Rain water is a valuable resource because our population is growing and more people are using it. Because
of changes in the way it rains in the UK, there have been both droughts and floods.
 Collecting rainwater can give a family about half of the water they need.
 Not only does this save water, but it also saves money and helps the environment.
 To teach people to save water.
  To stop soil from washing away

Examples
 Every building in the state of Tamil Nadu has to collect rainwater to keep ground water from running out.
 In Rajasthan, people who live in the Thar Desert have always collected rainwater.
 Right now, any new society that wants to register in Pune, which is in the state of Maharashtra, has to collect
rainwater.
STORM WATER DRAINAGE

Storm water Runoff

 Water comes down as rain, snow, and ice. Most of the water soaks
into the ground.
 Water flows when the ground is wet, frozen, or has paved surfaces.
This is called stormwater runoff. Stormwater flows over surfaces like
roads, driveways, and parking lots.

Where does Stormwater Go?

 Stormwater runs down streets and into storm drains, where it can
pick up soil, pet waste, oil, pesticides, and other pollutants.
 This dirty water runs off into streams and lakes without being
cleaned up. Stormwater flows into storm drains, where pollutants
flow into local streams, rivers, and lakes without being cleaned.

Storm Water Inlets:

 These are the holes through which surface runoff and storm water
enter the storm water sewer or combined sewer.
 The inlet is a concrete or brick box with a clear opening of no more
than 25 mm. The maximum distance between them depends on the
 road surface and ranges from 30 to 60 m.
 Inlets for storm water can be put into one of three groups:
• Curb inlets: These are vertical holes in the road curbs that allow water to flow into the drainage system. They
are preferred in places where there will be a lot of traffic.
• Gutter inlets: Holes in the gutter that run horizontally.
• Composite inlet: This is a mix of curb and gutter inlets.

Surface Drains

Cheap way to collect storm water. These are used to keep

sewers, pumping stations, treatment plants, and other ways of
getting rid of water from getting too full.
• Usually used when sewers and storm drains are
combined and extra storm water needs to be sent
to a natural stream or river.
 • Three kinds of regulators are: "Leaping weir," "Overflow weir," and "Siphon spillway."
• Leaping weir: When the discharge is small, the sewage goes straight into the intercepting sewer. If there is
too much sewage, however, all or some of the storm water jumps across the opening and away from the
intercepting sewer. The water is then taken to a natural stream or river. The intercepting sewer goes in the
opposite direction of the main sewer.
• Overflow weir: In this type of weir, sewage that doesn't fit in the channel is allowed to flow over into it.
• Siphon Spillway: This is a set-up that works automatically and is based on the idea of siphonic action.

Inverted Siphon
 An inverted syphon is a sewer section that is built below the sewer sections next to it and runs full under
gravity with pressure higher than atmospheric pressure.
 The goal is to carry the sewer under the obstruction and regain as much elevation as possible after the
 obstruction is gone.
 As the syphons are lowered below the hydraulic grade line, self-cleaning velocity is ensured by having one
pipe for minimum dry weather flow and subsequent pipes for maximum dry weather flow.
Importance of stormwater drainage
 A well-designed and working storm sewer system is an important part of any system for draining rainwater, and good
storm water management is impossible without it.
 The right hydraulic design gives a storm sewer line the right diameter, slope, and depth so that it drains storm water
and doesn't let it back up. With the Manning equation, you can figure out the right diameter, slope, and depth for a
storm sewer line.
 The criteria are the minimum stormwater speed, the minimum depth, and a large enough diameter to handle the
design stormwater runoff rate (determined by the rational method). All of this is based on how much rain the design
storm brought.

Komal Ganpat Tawde

Sr. No. 63
th
5 Yr B.arch