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)
Safe water network announces new partnerships to create a sustainable, affordable & scalable RWH programme in Rajasthan
Safe water network announces new partnerships to create a sustainable, affordable & scalable RWH programme in Rajasthan Posted on 04 Apr, 2009 09:41 AM

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Safe Water Network , a not-for-profit dedicated to the development of reliable, sustainable, and scalable water solutions for the world's poor , announced today a partnership with India-based organizations Bhoruka Charitable Trust, the Centre for microFinance, and the Institute of Health Management Research for a rainwater harvesting optimization program in the state of Rajasthan, India. This 18-month initiative expands on a recently completed program that delivered rainwater harvesting systems to 15 villages in the Churu District of Rajasthan. The program supports the development and validation of improvements in three areas: cistern design, water quality, and funding tools. The program also includes the completion of a white paper, which will make policy recommendations specific to Rajasthan. Learnings from the initiative will be shared with others who are working around the world to help the nearly one billion people living in areas of acute water scarcity.

Ecosan solutions for flood hit Bihar
Ecosan solutions for flood hit Bihar Posted on 31 Mar, 2009 12:03 PM

"Megh Pyne Abhiyan" is a network of NGOS that has been working in flood affected areas in Bihar with Arghyam support for the past few years. MPA has been grappling with the idea of providing clean water and sanitation in Bihar.

WOTR wins Kyoto world water grand prize 2009
At the 5th World Water Forum, Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR), was awarded the coveted Kyoto World Water Grand Prize at a glittering closing ceremony to mark the closure of the Forum on World Water Day (March 22) at Istanbul, Turkey. Posted on 29 Mar, 2009 04:12 PM

At the 5th World Water Forum,  Watershed Organisation Trust (WOTR), was awarded the coveted Kyoto World Water Grand Prize at a glittering closing ceremony to mark the closure of the Forum on World Water Day (March 22) at Istanbul, Turkey. The award was presented to Dr Marcella D'Souza, Executive Director of WOTR in recognition of the outstanding contribution made towards organising rural communities for watershed development and rain water harvesting in an inclusive, equitable, sustainable and gender sensitive manner.

14th international rainwater catchment systems conference by NAHRIM, 3 - 6 Aug 2009, Malaysia
Posted on 29 Mar, 2009 04:01 PM

Forwarded to the Portal by: Vishwanath Srikantaiah Image Courtesy: IRCSA The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Malaysia (NRE) and National Hydraulics Research Institute of Malaysia (NAHRIM) extend a warm invitation t

Using YouTube effectively - A citizen-activist's movie highlighting the problem of an abandoned pond in Gurgaon
A excellently taken YouTube movie that highlights the problem of an abandoned talaab in water-starved Gurgaon in New Delhi.
Posted on 19 Mar, 2009 09:08 AM

Press releases - Ganga river basin authority : SANDRP
A series of Press Releases from sources indicate the progress on the matter of the Ganga River Basin Authority. Posted on 26 Feb, 2009 10:47 AM


A series of Press Releases from sources indicate the progress on the matter of the Ganga River Basin Authority. It makes for an informative read with a candid discussion in the comments section!


Ganga River Basin Authority for Comprehensive Management of the Ganga Basin

PIB Friday, February 20, 2009
Ministry of Environment and Forests

 AUTHORITY ENSURES DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS IN SUSTAINABLE MANNER ENSURING ECOLOGICAL FLOWS IN GANGA

The Government today announced the setting up of a National Ganga River Basin Authority. A statement to this effect was made in Parliament by Shri Namo Narain Meena, Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment & Forests. A Notification in this regard is also being issued by the Government.

Should IMD give away meteorological data for free ?
Should IMD give away meteorological data for free ?
Posted on 22 Jan, 2009 04:21 AM

India Water Portal has a meteorological data tool (https://www.indiawaterportal.org/data/metdata) that gives rainfall data (and 10 other meteorological parameters) for each district of India for 100 years from 1901 to 2002. Over the past couple of years, many many people have expressed that they found this data useful and requested us to enhance it. The data on our meteorological data tool is from a research dataset put out by the Tyndall Center for Climate Change Research in the University of East Anglia, UK. The reason we got the data from them, is that IMD, India Meteorological Department, which is the chief source of official meteorological data in India, sells this data. To get the kind of all India data above, would be prohibitively expensive. Further, they would not allow this data to be made publicly available, as they sell the same.

Guava leaves, open wells, appropriate technology and all that
Guava leaves, open wells, appropriate technology and all that Posted on 04 Dec, 2008 12:50 PM

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Rainbow Drive Layout -- A model for urban water management ?
Rainbow Drive Layout: A Case Study of Sustainable Decentralized Urban Water Management Posted on 10 Nov, 2008 10:10 AM

Bangalore's sprawling expansion outpaces the public utility's ability to accommodate skyrocketing demand for water and sanitation services, and it is increasingly common for new residential communities to assume total management for their own water and sanitation services through their resident welfare associations.

The Coca-Cola company: "Replenish" report
The Coca-Cola company: "Replenish" report Posted on 14 Sep, 2008 09:29 AM

untitled.jpg The Coca-Cola Company is committed to the good health and well being of communities around the world.

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