Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) is not new techniques. It has been utilized throughout time as some irrigation methods have been used by the people of Iraq around 4500 BC and are at present used in India (Khadin structures).Today rainwater harvesting is being used worldwide for drinking (human and livestock) and agricultural purposes. Previously, the concept of rainwater harvesting has received very little consideration (especially for drinking purposes) in larger donor financed projects, but recently, with the increasing pressure on available water resources, renewed interest has emerged.
What is Rainwater Harvesting?
Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is the practice of collecting rainwater and storing it for future use.
The Rainwater harvesting is the simple collection and storing of rainwater through scientific techniques from the areas where the rain falls. In RWH three things are important
1) Catchment 2) delivery system 3) storage reservoir
Its broadest sense can be defined as the collection of run-off rainwater for domestic water supply, agriculture and environmental management. Water harvesting systems, which harvest runoff from roofs or ground surfaces fall under the term rainwater harvesting
The method of rain water harvesting has been into practice since ancient times. It is as far the best possible way to conserve water and awaken the society towards the importance of water. The method is simple and cost effective too. It is especially beneficial in the areas, which faces the scarcity of water. People usually make complaints about the lack of water. During the monsoons lots of water goes waste into the gutters. And this is when Rain water Harvesting proves to be the most effective way to conserve water. We can collect the rain water into the tanks and prevent it from flowing into drains and being wasted. It is practiced on the large scale in the metropolitan cities. Rain water harvesting comprises of storage of water and water recharging through the technical process.
