Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is a simple method by which rainfall is collected for future usage. The collected rainwater may be stored, utilised in different ways or directly used for recharge purposes. With depleting groundwater levels and fluctuating climate conditions, RWH can go a long way to help mitigate these effects. Capturing the rainwater can help recharge local aquifers, reduce urban flooding and most importantly ensure water availability in water-scarce zones. Though the term seems to have picked up greater visibility in the last few years, it was, and is even today, a traditional practice followed in rural India. Some ancient rainwater harvesting methods followed in India include madakas, ahar pynes, surangas, taankas and many more.

This water conservation method can be easily practiced in individual homes, apartments, parks, offices and temples too, across the world. Farmers have recharged their dry borewells, created water banks in drought areas, greened their farms, increased sustainability of their water resources and even created a river. Technical know how for the rooftop RWH with direct storage can be availed for better implementation. RWH An effective method in water scarce times, it is also an easily doable practice. Practical advice is available in books written by Indukanth Ragade & Shree Padre, talks by Anupam Mishra and other easy to follow fun ways

Read our FAQ on Rainwater Harvesting and have many basic questions answered.

Featured Articles
September 21, 2022 The unique design and functioning of the Chakla bavdi in Chanderi Madhya Pradesh is another example of the water wisdom of our ancestors, which needs to be conserved and passed on to the future generations.
Chakla Bavdi at Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh (Image Source: Shirole, S. 2022. Architectural eloquence: Water harvesting structure in Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh (India). Ancient Asia, 13: 9, pp. 1–13)
July 14, 2022 The river is faced with the dual problem of flood plain encroachment and growing levels of water pollution
Illegal transverse check dams (Badhals) built on Ichamati near a village in Basirhat (Image: Prithviraj Nath @ TheWaterChronicles)
July 11, 2022 The Chauka system of Rajasthan can not only provide a sustainable way to manage water resources in water stressed regions, but also support livelihoods through development of pastures.
Can greening of barren lands happen? (Image Source: India Water Portal Flickr photos)
March 21, 2022 Recognizing women's accumulated knowledge and adaptive capacities in springshed management
Van Panchayat Samiti discussing the matters related to forest (Image: Varun Raja)
November 9, 2021 Building resilient agricultural system through groundwater management interventions in degraded landscapes of Bundelkhand region
Charkhari talab in Bundelkhand (Image: IWP Flickr)
July 23, 2021 Improper location, poor operation and maintenance of water harvesting and recharge structures threaten water security in Yavatmal
A study assesses the current status of the water harvesting and recharge structures in Yavatmal (Image: India Water Portal Flickr)
Rainwater Harvesting Users and Trainers' Manual by the KUIDFC
A manual for rainwater harvesting users’ by the Government of Karnataka. Posted on 10 Nov, 2011 12:03 PM

Adequate potable water supply to the community has become an uphill task to the administration both in rural and urban areas. This is because of dwindling groundwater sources, over-extraction, pollution of surface water bodies, negligence of fresh water bodies, poor water management, etc.

Advancing development - Towards sustainable livelihoods - Madurai Symposium - DHAN Foundation - September 14-18 ( 2011)
The symposium highlights the importance of rainwater harvesting in the context of climate change. Posted on 04 Nov, 2011 08:47 AM

The Madurai Symposium organised by the

Decentralised treatment and recycling of domestic wastewater - An integrated approach to water management - A pilot project - CPCB (2008)
The Sangamam housing project at Auroville aims to minimize its ecological footprint by using a range of measures. Posted on 27 Oct, 2011 10:32 AM

This report by the Central Pollution and Control Board (CPCB) describes the various intervention measures chosen to reduce the ecological footprint of the Sangamam housing project at Auroville. These measures include water harvesting, recycling and waste management. 

Jalanidhi-2 programme of the Kerala Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency
A report on environmental assessment and environmental management framework - Posted on 06 Oct, 2011 03:20 PM

This report deals with environmental assessment and environmental management framework for the World Bank supported Jalanidhi-2 programme of the Kerala Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (KRWSA), an important player in rural water supply and sanitation sector of the state.

Water for Indian cities - Government practices and policy concerns - Issue Brief - Observer Research Foundation
This brief from the Observer Research Foundation highlights the issues involved in improving urban water supply in India. Posted on 24 Sep, 2011 04:50 PM

The urban expansion in India has not been met by a similar expansion in infrastructure and basic services. This has severely affected the quality of urban life and economic growth.

Orissa Community Tank Management Project – A paper by World Bank on proposed project restructuring
The document confirms that there is significant room for increase in crop and livestock productivity and can be addressed with the activities to be undertaken by the project. Posted on 03 Sep, 2011 07:39 PM

This document provides an appraisal of the World Bank financed Orissa Community Tank Management Project. The project on tank rehabilitation in the state was focused on institutional strengthening, agricultural livelihood services and some irrigation improvements in the project area.

Social equity and integrated water resources management – A background paper by Global Water Partnership
This background paper by Humberto Peña, Global Water Partnership deals with what social equity means in the context of water management. Posted on 31 Aug, 2011 04:10 PM

 It provides an analytical framework that policy makers and water professionals can use to bring greater clarity to the issue of social equity in their local context.

Adaptive water resource management in the Lower Bhavani project command area in Tamil Nadu – A research report by IWMI
This study by IWMI explores the theory and practice of adaptive management based on a detailed field study in the Lower Bhavani project command area. Posted on 25 Aug, 2011 11:07 PM

Bhavani

To what extent farmers and water resource managers already practice adaptive management and whether it is practiced in an optimal manner or could there be areas for improvement based on recent advancements in the theory of adaptive management are some of the questions that are particularly appropriate in the light of rapid changes in river basin water use and also in relation to basin closure.

This paper draws on the development and use of water resources in the Lower Bhavani Project (LBP), with the LBP reservoir and the 84,000 hectare (ha) LBP command area. The project diverts water from the Bhavani River, a tributary of the Cauvery River in Tamil Nadu.

Water quality study and cost-benefit analysis of rainwater harvesting in Kuttanad, Kerala
The study reveals the urgency of water scarcity and sheds light on the potential remediation strategies. Posted on 25 Aug, 2011 02:23 PM

KuttanadThis thesis by Christina Tang for the Center of Environmental Studies, Brown University deals with a study of water quality and attempts to ascertain the net benefits or costs from rainwater harvesting under a variety of scenarios for households in various water supply conditions.

Eighty percent of the 7,00,000 citizens of Kuttanad, a region in the coastal State of Kerala have no access to clean water. In Kuttanad, intensive untreated human sewage and agricultural activities have caused severe surface water contaminations. At the same time, other sources of freshwater are unreliable for drinking: groundwater is acidic due to the soil conditions and iron leaching; freshwater from public tap is infrequent; and water supply from private vendors is extremely expensive.

Groundwater, self-supply and poor urban dwellers - A review with case studies of Bangalore and Lusaka by IIED
This paper by IIED explores the extent to which urban dwellers, and especially those living in low income areas, depend directly and indirectly on groundwater. Posted on 24 Aug, 2011 08:32 PM

It investigates the difficulties they face and emphasizes the need for better integration of groundwater in the planning and management of urban water resources.

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