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)
CET Bhubaneshwar incorporates water management in existing residential and commercial site in Rourkela, Orissa
Debadutta Parida and Shivani Satpathy of CET Bhubaneshwar takes up 8.3 acre existing site in Rourkela to preserve groundwater, increase water table, prevent soil erosion and flooding Posted on 06 Jun, 2009 12:30 PM

In this presentation Debadutta Parida and Shivani Satpathy of CET Bhubaneshwar have taken up a 8.3 acre existing site in Rourkela with housing and residential use and an artificial pond to preserve groundwater, increase the water table level, prevent soil erosion and flooding.

Symbiosis institute of design, Pune, receives first prize for the presentation on water management in low income housing colony in the city
The presentation by Smriti Mehrotra and Shruti Mehrotra discusses the design of rainwater harvesting system providing potable water to five families in low income housing colony in Pune Posted on 04 Jun, 2009 04:19 PM

A portable bicycle pump reduces the drudgery of transporting water to these homes. They also plan to implement grey and black water treatment systems with the assistance of industries in the vicinity that can use that water, or use the sewage waste to generate biogas.

Changing geohydrological scenario in the hard rock terrain in India – A national seminar by the Geological Society of India
The seminar successfully brought leaders of NGOs, and water managers at grass root level face to face with scientists, technologists, economists to address water crisis. Posted on 04 Jun, 2009 03:20 PM

The national seminar on “Changing geohydrological scenario in the hard rock terrain in India”, was jointly organised by the Geological Society of India, Department of Mines and Geology, Central Ground Water Board, Karnataka Jal Biradari and Karnataka Institute of Cooperative Management.

Debate - Private sector approaches to water management for the poor
A debate on Private Sector approaches to Water Management for the poor provides a unique opportunity to learn about private sectro microfinance approaches to water management that have been used for a range of purposes from purchasing household water connections and clean water storage units, like rainwater harvesting tanks to the construction of household latrines. Posted on 02 Jun, 2009 10:20 AM

"Innovations in Microfinance" Series

A debate on Private Sector approaches to Water Management for the poor provides a unique opportunity to learn about private sectro microfinance approaches to water management that have been used for a range of purposes from purchasing household water connections and clean water storage units, like rainwater harvesting tanks to the construction of household latrines.

The debate sponsored by the Citi Foundation & Arc Finance is to be held at the New York Asia Society and Museum. The event can also be accessed via a free live video webcast. More details below the fold.

Approximately 1.1 billion people lack clean water supplies and 2.7 billion have no access to proper sanitation. To combat conditions that lead to sickness and disease, low income families across Asia are asking for clean water and improved sanitation to keep their families healthy and productive. Sophisticated modern piped water networks are too expensive for most developing countries and poor people living in the slums often pay 5 to 10 times more per liter of water than wealthy people living in the same city. Sensing a business opportunity, microfinance organizations are beginning to explore the market for making water more accessible to the poor.

Regional meeting - "Mazhapolima", Thrissur
Regional meeting to discuss the effects of the Mazhapolima program. Posted on 02 Jun, 2009 09:22 AM

Forwarded to the Portal by: Nitya Jacob, UN

Dr Kurien Baby, District Collector of Trissur, Kerala, and Solution Exchange Water Community are organizing a regional meeting to discuss the effects of the Mazhapolima program. The dates are 16-17 June 2009, and it will be held in Trissur.

Background

Kerala has among the highest well densities in India, and 71% of the population depends on them for drinking water. The aggregate household investment in the state on wells is pegged at Rs 1800 crore and they have a combined yield potential of 6.6 million cu m per day. That works out to a water availability of 197 litres of water per capita per day (lpcd), well above the government's prescribed norm of 140 lpcd. These wells are threatened. Despite an annual rainfall of 3,000 mm, 70% go dry in summer. The surface runoff is heavy, and therefore groundwater levels in several blocks have fallen sharply, and coupled with saline intrusion at an accelerated pace, have led to water quality problems.

Water security for residents of apartments & gated communities in Bangalore - An article by SS Ranganathan
Bangalore has grown phenomenally over the last 25 years and the pleasant ‘rural scenery’of what once were the ‘outskirts’ of Bangalore has given way to forests or jungles of concrete. These are the multi-storeyed apartment complexes which have mushroomed all over, with gated communities making a break in this concrete jungle. One wonders where the residents of these complexes and communities will find the water to live a reasonably normal life. Posted on 29 May, 2009 04:27 PM

Mr. S.S. Ranganathan, author of this guest post, is a retired senior executive of Ion Exchange and currently a consultant based in Bangalore.

He can be reached at: ss.ranganathan@gmail.com , +91-9343734229

WATER SECURITY FOR THE RESIDENTS OF APARTMENTS & GATED COMMUNITIESS.S.Ranganathan

Water conservation initiatives (2007) at Carrier Aircon, Gurgaon, Haryana
The company's efforts to conserve water include technical modification to equipment and operations for improved wastewater management and rainwater harvesting Posted on 28 May, 2009 11:28 AM

This presentation describes the efforts made by Carrier Aircon, Gurgaon at water conservation. This paper and board manufacturer has brought about a reduction in specific water consumption from 173 cu m/MT of paper (2003-04) to 130 cu m/MT of paper (2006-07), while waste water discharge over the same period has come down from 169 cu m/MT to 103 cu m/MT.

Down the borewell hole ! Unique video footage
In this spectacular video we can see something pretty unique -- what goes on inside a borewell and how it acquires the water that we pump up as an everyday occurence. Posted on 26 May, 2009 11:12 AM

Mr. P. Ganesh of Ayyappa Aqua Solutions has invented a technique of lowering a camera with a flashlight down a borewell hole in order to understand what is going on inside. (Mr. Ganesh specializes in hydrofracturing which is a process of using high pressure water to crumble rock and open up fissures in order to rejuvenate borewells that have gone dry).

Hindalco Industries, Renukoot, Uttar Pradesh, undertakes watershed management project (2007) that aims to benefit farmers of 30 villages
Under the project, more than 2500 acres of land were covered by lift irrigation, benefiting 4165 people and around 8600 acres of land by rain water harvesting structures, benefiting 6500 farmers Posted on 25 May, 2009 02:01 PM

This presentation describes Hindalco's Renukoot operations, which included a watershed management project aimed at benefiting farmers of 30 villages in this hilly area where around 65% of the population lives below the poverty line.

Jala Samvardhane Yojana Sangha (JSYS) - nodal agency for community based tank management in Karnataka
The site provides basic information about tank management project and various project components, steps in tank development cycle, administrative sections and some project highlights Posted on 22 May, 2009 04:01 PM

This page provides information on the Jala Samvardhane Yojana Sangha (JSYS) site developed by Ministry of Water Resources, Government of Karnataka.

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