Introduction: Till about thirty years back, the areas around our homes and offices used to be unpaved and the rain falling on these areas would percolate into the soil and remain there for being drawn through shallow open wells. With the proliferation of flat complexes, not only have these areas been paved and percolation of rainwater into the soil almost totally stopped, the quantity of water drawn from the soil below has increased manyfold. Consequently open wells and not - so - deep bore wells started drying up. The reason is that no sincere attmept is made to replenish the ground watertable with rainwater during the monsoon.
As individuals, groups and communities, let us all wake up before it is too late and not only understand what rainwater harvesting is all about but also implement measures to harvest rainwater in our houses and flat complexes and put it into the soil for our subsequent use.
What is Rain water harvesting?
The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface. An old technology is gaining popularity in a new way. Rain water harvesting is enjoying a renaissance of sorts in the world, but it traces its history to biblical times. Extensive rain water harvesting apparatus existed 4000 years ago in the Palestine and Greece. In ancient Rome, residences were built with individual cisterns and paved courtyards to capture rain water to augment water from city’s aqueducts. As early as the third millennium BC, farming communities in Baluchistan and Kutch impounded rain, water and used it for irrigation dams.
Why Rain water harvesting:
Rain water harvesting is essential because:-Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on ground water. Due to rapid urbanization, infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has decreased drastically and recharging of ground water has diminished. As you read this guide, seriously consider conserving water by harvesting and managing this