WHY RAINWATER HARVESTING?

• India faces a turbulent water future. Unless current inefficient water management practices are changed, India will face a severe water crisis in the coming decades. It will not have adequate self-funding to build new infrastructure nor will the sufficient water be available for its growing economy and rising population (As per World Bank Report 2006).
• Rain Water Harvesting can be implemented at minimal cost for all constructions by adopting the RWH system in the planning and initial stages of construction.
• Industries and factories can certainly implement the RWH system since large roof areas are usually available for rooftop rainwater harvesting.
• For buildings/commercial places facing acute water shortage and meeting the water demand through tanker water; the RWH system substantially reduces dependency on tanker water and also gives financial benefits.

BENEFITS OF RAINWATER HARVESTING

Provides a backup source of water

There are many uncertainties in water supply systems. Droughts may lead to a shortage of water. Destruction of water supply systems may occur at specific locations. Major repairs and maintenance in water companies happen sporadically.

All these variables lead to the unavailability of water in your home. So, installing a rainwater harvesting system is the best course of action to continue enjoying water supply in case any of the above variables occur.

The collected rainwater can be used for many different purposes around the home. This includes laundry, washing dishes, and more. This would prevent groundwater depletion and augment groundwater table.

Ecological benefits ecological benefits of rainwater harvesting are immense. An activity like flushing the toilet, for instance, attributes to about 25%- 35% of home water usage. Add up the amount of water used to irrigate the lawn, do laundry, wash cars and the total amount of water used is simply astronomical. For businesses, more so hospitality establishments that accommodate a big number of guests in a single location, require a lot of water to satisfy customers. Rainwater harvesting will simply help to fill this gap.

The ecological benefit rainwater harvesting systems bring is that there will be a significant reduction in the amount of water used from the mains. This, ideally, means that water companies will not have to artificially pump in water from rivers and lakes. This will help minimize the possibility of rivers drying up.

Another great ecological benefit of rainwater harvesting systems is that they help reduce the load placed upon drainage systems, minimizing the impacts of flooding by funneling the runoff water into large tanks for recycling.

Easy to maintain rainwater harvesting systems are considerably easy to maintain since they are not utilized for drinking, cooking, or other sensitive uses. This means that they will not need the installation of purification systems, which are usually expensive.Rainwater harvesting systems are cost-effective, provide high-quality water, reduce dependence on wells. The surplus rainwater can also be used to recharge groundwater aquifer through artificial recharge techniques.

Reduces erosion and flooding around buildings

Most buildings that utilize rainwater harvesting systems have a built-in catchment area on top of the roof, which is capable of collecting vast amounts of water in case of rainstorms.

It helps to reduce soil erosion as by capturing rainwater, the flow of stormwater is reduced which can also prevent urban flooding. If the water were not collected efficiently, it could have resulted in serious soil erosion and flooding around the house.

Requires low upfront capital investment

Installation of a rainwater harvesting system is not that expensive, plus it’s a one-time installation, and that’s it. The only routine maintenance required is cleaning out the tank. You will probably hire an expert technician to install the system for you.