Rainwater harvesting is the accumulating and storing, of rainwater.

It has been used to

provide drinking water, water for livestock, water for irrigation or to refill aquifers in a
process called groundwater recharge. Rainwater collected from the roofs of houses, tents
and local institutions, can make an important contribution to the availability of drinking
water. Water collected from the ground, sometimes from areas which are especially
prepared for this purpose, is called Stormwater harvesting. In some cases, rainwater may
be the only available, or economical, water source. Rainwater harvesting systems can be
simple to construct from inexpensive local materials, and are potentially successful in
most habitable locations. Roof rainwater can be of good quality and may not require
treatment before consumption. Although some rooftop materials may produce rainwater
that is harmful to human health, it can be useful in flushing toilets, washing clothes,
watering the garden and washing cars; these uses alone halve the amount of water used
by a typical home. Household rainfall catchment systems are appropriate in areas with an
average rainfall greater than 200 mm (7.9 in) per year, and no other accessible water
sources (Skinner and Cotton, 1992).

There are a number of types of systems to harvest rainwater ranging from very simple to
the complex industrial systems. The rate at which water can be collected from either
system is dependent on the plan area of the system, its efficiency, and the intensity of
rainfall (i.e annual precipitation (mm per annum) x square meter of catchment area =
litres per annum yield) ... a 200 square meter roof catchment catching 1,000mm PA
yields 200 kLPA.

Contents

• 1 Basic configuration
• 2 Subsurface dyke
• 3 Groundwater recharge
• 4 Advantages in urban areas
• 5 Quality
• 6 System sizing
• 7 Around the world
• 8 See also
• 9 References
• 10 Bibliography

• 11 External links

Basic configuration
Rainwater harvesting systems channel rainwater that falls on to a roof into storage via a
system of gutters and pipes. The first flush of rainwater after a dry season should be
allowed to run to waste as it will be contaminated with dust, bird droppings etc. Roof
gutters should have sufficient incline to avoid standing water. They must be strong
enough, and large enough to carry peak flows. Storage tanks should be covered to prevent
mosquito breeding and to reduce evaporation losses, contamination and algal growth.
Rainwater harvesting systems require regular maintenance and cleaning to keep the
system hygienic.

Subsurface dyke
A subsurface dyke is built in an aquifer to obstruct the natural flow of groundwater,
thereby raising the groundwater level and increasing the amount of water stored in the
aquifer.

The subsurface dyke at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kannur under Kerala Agricultural
University with the support of ICAR, has become an effective method for ground water
conservation by means of rain water harvesting technologies. The sub-surface dyke has
demonstrated that it is a feasible method for conserving and exploiting the groundwater
resources of the Kerala state of India. The dyke is now the largest rainwater harvesting
system in that region.

Groundwater recharge
Rainwater may also be used for groundwater recharge, where the runoff on the ground is
collected and allowed to be absorbed, adding to the groundwater. In the US, rooftop
rainwater is collected and stored in sump.

Advantages in urban areas

Rainwater harvesting can (a) assure an independent water supply during water
restrictions, that is though somewhat dependent on end use and maintenance, (b)usually
of acceptable quality for household needs and (c) renewable at acceptable volumes
despite forecast climate change (CSIRO, 2003). It produces beneficial externalities by
reducing peak stormwater runoff and processing costs. In municipalities with combined
sewer systems, reducing storm runoff is especially important, because excess runoff
during heavy storms leads to the discharge of raw sewage from outfalls when treatment
plant capacity cannot handle the combined flow. RH systems are simple to install and
operate. Running costs are negligible, and they provide water at the point of
consumption.We are consuming this water for our basic needs.
Rain water harvesting law.-- Who Owns the Rain? Check water rights and water right
law very well before buying land in USA. Some states have water law in favor of land
owners,and some states own all water rights, leaving you only water rights they are
willing to grant through permits. In Colorado you may not catch , collect or harvest rain
water from your roof unless you first buy a permit. Depending on where you live, and if
the government owns your rain water right.

Quality
As rainwater may be contaminated due to pollutants like microscopic germs etc., it is
often not considered suitable for drinking without treatment. However, there are many
examples of rainwater being used for all purposes — including drinking — following
suitable treatment.

Rainwater harvested from roofs can contain animal and bird faeces, mosses and lichens,
windblown dust, particulates from urban pollution, pesticides, and inorganic ions from
the sea (Ca, Mg, Na, K, Cl, SO4), and dissolved gases (CO2, NOx, SOx). High levels of
pesticide have been found in rainwater in Europe with the highest concentrations
occurring in the first rain immediately after a dry spell;[3] the concentration of these and
other contaminants are reduced significantly by diverting the initial flow of water to
waste as described above. The water may need to be analysed properly, and used in a way
appropriate to its safety. In the Gansu province for example, harvested rainwater is boiled
in parabolic solar cookers before being used for drinking.[4] In Brazil alum and chlorine is
added to disinfect water before consumption.[citation needed] So-called "appropriate
technology" methods, such as solar water disinfection, provide low-cost disinfection
options for treatment of stored rainwater for drinking.

System sizing
It is important that the system is sized to meet the water demand throughout the dry
season. Generally speaking, the size of the storage tank should be big enough to meet the
daily water requirement throughout the dry season. In addition, the size of the catchment
area or roof should be large enough to fill the tank.

Around the world

• Currently in China and Brazil, rooftop rainwater harvesting is being practiced for
providing drinking water, domestic water, water for livestock, water for small
irrigation and a way to replenish ground water levels. Gansu province in China
and semi-arid north east Brazil have the largest rooftop rainwater harvesting
projects ongoing.
• In Rajasthan, India rainwater harvesting has traditionally been practiced by the
people of the Thar Desert.
• In Bermuda, the law requires all new construction to include rainwater harvesting
adequate for the residents.
• The U.S. Virgin Islands have a similar law.
• In the Indus Valley Civilization, Elephanta Caves and Kanheri Caves in Mumbai
rainwater harvesting alone has been used to supply in their water requirements.
• In Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, the houses of the Diola-people are frequently
equipped with homebrew rainwater harvesters made from local, organic materials.
• In the United Kingdom water butts are often found in domestic gardens to collect
rainwater which is then used to water the garden. However, the British
government's Code For Sustainable Homes encourages fitting large underground
tanks to new-build homes to collect rainwater for flushing toilets, washing
clothes, watering the garden and washing cars. This reduces by 50% the amount
of mains water used by the home.
• In the Irrawaddy Delta of Myanmar, the groundwater is saline and communities
rely on mud-lined rainwater ponds to meet their drinking water needs throughout
the dry season. Some of these ponds are centuries old and are treated with great
reverence and respect.
• Until 2009 in Colorado, water rights laws almost completely restricted rainwater
harvesting; a property owner who captured rainwater was deemed to be stealing it
from those who have rights to take water from the watershed. Now, residential
well owners that meet certain criteria may obtain a permit to install a rooftop
precipitation collection system (SB 09-080).[5] Up to 10 large scale pilot studies
may also be permitted (HB 09-1129).[6] The main factor in persuading the
Colorado Legislature to change the law was a 2007 study that found that in an
average year, 97% of the precipitation that fell in Douglas County, in the southern
suburbs of Denver, never reached a stream—it was used by plants or evaporated
on the ground. In New Mexico, rainwater catchment is mandatory for new
dwellings in Santa Fe.[7]
• Kerala, India,

Main article: Rainwater harvesting in Kerala

• In Australia rainwater harvesting is typically used to supplement the reticulated

mains supply. In south east Queensland, households that harvested rainwater
doubled each year from 2005 to 2008, reaching 40% penetration at that time
(White, 2009 (PhD))