Rainwater Management for Agriculture and Life in the Household Scale

Susilawati 1*
1

Engineering Faculty of Widya Mandira Catholic University, San Juan, str., Penfui-Kupang 85361
*sr.susi.dp@gmail.com

Keywords: Rainwater management, water for agriculture and life, household scale, Ferro-cement,
mineralization.

Abstract. East Nusatenggara Province has dried climate situation, which caused of the availability
of water for living very scarce. Some option have done do to this situation, for example by developing
many embung (small reservoir) or water-trap series along the gully as gully plug. The problem
furthermore comes related with the operation and maintenance of these structure. Thats also
happened for between each household place are far each other. Rainwater management in the
household scale would be the way to cope the scarcity for this condition. The principle concept is
managing the rainfall water on the household field by catching runoff with several Ferro-cement
structure to keep rainwater not to flow away out from household field and use for agriculture or others.
Rainfall water on the roof are managed by rainwater catches canal structure that completed with
mineralization and filtration structure so could use as clean water for life. This structure has done as
a model at 4 household in Tli'u village. As a result, they have water for agriculture activity and life.
Introduction
East Nusatenggara Province has dried climate situation, so the availability of water for living is
very scarce [1]. Some option have been done, for example by developing many embung (small
reservoir) [2]. An evaluation of embung systems development also have been done, particularly in
Sabu-Raijua Island, which includes: the infrastructure system review, operations and maintenance,
institutional, community development, information systems and analysis of the benefits value. It can
be concluded that the development of embung systems in Sabu-Raijua Island, have given some
positive benefits. Several aspect need some attention, especially on the technically infrastructure
systems related to the proper target planning services, charging condition of the water in the embung
and the speed of sedimentation rate. Less attention of the operation and maintenance system have
made the embung does not work anymore after a short time. Similarly, the limited human resources
make the institutional system very poor. Keeping in a well planned community development, will be
supporting the technical aspects, but unfortunately also less attention as well. It can be said that the
development of embung system on the island of Sabu-Raijua looks like a central government project,
poor involvement of the local area officials, so is less support from local people.
Attention to technical infrastructure systems or rainwater harvesting system is urgently needed
because the development of the existing embung has less efficiency factor due to the evaporation and
sedimentation occurs. To overcome this case, it is necessary to consider the alternative water
resources development in this areas, which have a large evaporation and high sedimentation rate, such
as conservation reservoir that serves to capture rainwater, preserve it by letting the water soak into
the ground soils. Furthermore, it can be prepared dug wells to extract the water that has infiltrated to
ground water reservoir to give available water for agriculture and daily used. This alternative water
resource development is given the term as rain water management for agriculture (RWMA). This
system emphasizes the term of "management" which means that rain water managed optimally and
has not just rain water harvesting. Likewise, it is keep in mind as well that the system management
and maintenance has done participatory by people as well to meet the sustainability of the system.
Since 2010, Susilawati has tried to promote the water-trap series along the gully as gully plug to
get more water for agriculture and domestic-municipal-industry need. Based on the systems done by
people in Daieko to get water by holding water flowing in the grooves of the natural drainage system
called as water trap, that was developed a simple system to manage water as form as rain water trap

series such as simple embankments as gully plug [3]. This system was developed to cope floods and
droughts on small islands [4]. Furthermore, from the village of Daieko case studies, it has developed
for the entire island of Sabu [5]. From the observation of the reservoir system failure cause largely
sedimentation due to the cliffs erosion of reservoir design, the system was developed further by
adding a cliff reinforcement system with vetiver grass [6]. Due to various constraints in implementing
this system, especially concerning financial terms, further developed this system in household scale
[7] which was implemented in four families in the Tli'u village. The most constraint of this system is
the operation and maintenance of these structures [8]. This obstacle strengthened again by dwelling
communities from each other. Fueled by this experience, so was developed of rain water management
for agriculture and the need to live in a household scale system. Thats also can be happened because
of between each household place are far each other (Fig. 1, 2 and 3). Rainwater management in the
household scale would be the way to cope the scarcity for this condition.

Figure 1 Tliu village imagery in 2004

Figure 2 Tliu village imagery in 2010

Figure 3 Tliu village imagery in 2015

Rainwater Management Concept
The principle of rainwater management concept is managing the rainfall water on the household
yard by catching runoff with several Ferro-cement structure to keep rainwater not to flow out away
from household yard and use that for agriculture or others needs. Rainfall water on the roof are
managed by rainwater catches canal structure that completed with mineralization and filtration
structure so could use as clean water for life (Fig. 4).

Figure 4 Rainwater management concept

Rainwater Management for Agriculture Application Model and Life in the Household Scale
This concept is being implemented in four households in the Tli'u Village. Several water wells that
trap rainwater are installed interconnected with each other, so as to get the water accommodated,
simply use the hand pump alone without the need for energy. The hydrological analysis have to be
done to get the yearly rain for availability water. Table 1 shows the plotting position analysis.
Followed by the plotting position graphic (Fig. 5) and dry-normal-wet yearly rainfall analysis (Table
2).
Table 1 Plotting position analysis
No

Year

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr May

1989

147

175

184

111

59

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Des Total

Rank

Fa=100*m/(N+1)

34

55

15

73

204

1059

2223

4.55

1990

380

229

205

67

62

1991

300

204

127

324

61

454

1399

1951

9.09

100

27

293

120

1558

1942

13.64

1992

302

130

235

99

50

51

126

373

1366

1886

18.18

1993

190

115

156

87

1994

394

257

115

48

51

137

49

29

178

992

1827

22.73

12

276

1102

1797

27.27

1995

137

228

147

1996

381

347

216

163

15

94

104

322

293

1503

1691

31.82

55

38

33

31

154

351

1606

1654

36.36

1997

381

632

86

13

21

34

49

438

1654

1606

40.91

10

1998

72

255

206

172

49

117

385

78

1334

1558

45.45

11

1999

545

199

342

380

23

41

236

169

1942

1518

50.00

12

2000

133

194

229

366

203

47

114

233

172

1691

1503

54.55

13

2002

315

205

114

122

98

229

1083

1399

59.09

14

2003

246

203

353

69

135

230

987

2223

1366

63.64

15

2004

247

487

462

27

129

23

62

390

1827

1334

68.18

16

2009

545

199

342

380

178

140

1797

1102

72.73

17

2010

478

522

27

55

146

44

10

33

20

205

337

1886

1083

77.27

18

2011

365

295

341

354

64

112

403

1951

1076

81.82

19

2012

54

291

90

413

861

1059

86.36

20

2013

285

463

48

55

23

202

1076

992

90.91

21

2014

172

226

248

167

56

142

89

20

57

341

1518

861

95.45

Piav

289 278.9 196.9

150 48.33 33.67 15.14 3.19 6.381 27.76 135.6 311.8

2500

2000

1500

P80: Pdry =
P20: Pwet =
P50: Pnor =
Pav
=

1200
1900
1600
1496.6

mm
mm
mm
mm

1000

500

0
100.00

10.00

Figure 5 Plotting position grafic

1.00

Table 2 Dry-normal-wet yearly rainfall analysis

Bulan
Piwet
Pinor
Pidry
ETo

Jan
367
309
232
129

Feb
354
298
224
121

Mar
250
211
158
139

Apr
190
160
120
149

May
61
52
39
169

Jun
43
36
27
162

Jul
19
16
12
185

Aug
4
3
3
204

Sep
8
7
5
205

Oct
35
30
22
213

Nov
172
145
109
180

Des
396
333
250
141

Total (mm)
1,900
1,600
1,200
1,997

Several steps have to be done during the implementation of this model, i.e.:
1. When to do the survey in the study location, it must be observe how the runoff flowing, so that
can be decided the location of the water well tank (Fig. 6)
2. Then the catchment area of rainwater are determined for each water well, so it can be known the
volume of rainwater which can be captured and stored in the water wells
3. The next step is determined the dimensions of the catchment water wells in accordance with the
potential of rainwater that can be captured.
4. The final step is the design drawings of the catchment water wells.
The field area for each house-hold and the catchment area for water well are shown in Fig. 7-10.

Figure 6 Location of the water well and the runoff flowing to the well of Mr. Benyamin

Figure 7 Location of the water well and the runoff flowing to the well of Mr. Markus

Figure 8 Location of the water well and the runoff flowing to the well of Mr. Hiller

Figure 9 Location of the water well and the runoff flowing to the well of Mr. Yusak

Figure 10 Field area and catchment area for 4 house-hold

The construction of the water well contain of the Ferro-cement system as figured as Figure 11.

Figure 11 Ferro-cement water well system for rainwater captured and stored
The potential water which can be captured and stored are calculated as shown in Table 3.
Table 3 The potential rainwater which can be captured and stored to Ferro-cement
Family
Yusak
CA FC-01
CA FC-02

Areal (m2 ) 2,000 1,500 1,280 mm

302
Pwet
Pnor
Pdry Coeff = 60%
128
15,360 11,520 9,830
for drink
174
20,880 15,660 13,363
2 l/person/day

Benyamin
CA FC-01
CA FC-02
CA FC-03

1187
444
282
461

Markus

1340

CA FC-01
CA FC-02
CA FC-03

404
478
458

Hiller
CA FC-01
CA FC-02
CA FC-03

1434
368
412
654

m3
m3
m3
for personal
53,280 39,960 34,099
15 l/person/day
33,840 25,380 21,658 Requirement for 5
55,320 41,490 35,405 person per family
m3

m3

m3

drink 3.65 m3

48,480 36,360 31,027 personal 18 m3

57,360 43,020 36,710
54,960 41,220 35,174
Yusak's family
m3
m3
m3
water needs can
44,160 33,120 28,262
still be met
49,440 37,080 31,642
78,480 58,860 50,227

Conclusion
The household water needs can be met by developing of rain water management system in the
household scale. Even still have excessive water, which can be used to meet the water needs of
agriculture and other businesses. It is suggested that the comparable between yard land area and
family members, must be considered in determining the capacity of rainwater well captured.
References
[1] Susilawati CL and Adri G. Sooai, Management of rain-water system for agriculture during the
dry season to raise food security in small and rural islands of Indonesia. Research Report (competitive
grant), Kupang, 2012.
[2] Djoko Kirmanto, Regulation of the Minister of Public Works No. 06/PRT/M/ 2011 on Guidelines
for the Use of Water Resources (2011), 40-48.
[3] Susilawati CL, Rainwater Management for Agriculture in Daieko Village Hawu Mehara District,
Sabu-Raijua Regency, NTT Province. Journal SIPIL UNWIRA Vol 1 No.1 (2010), 51-58.

[4] Susilawati CL, Water Resource Conservation with the System of Water-trap Series to Cope Flood
and Drought on Small Island, Journal SIPIL UNWIRA Vol 2 No.1 (2011) 30 -38.
[5] Susilawati CL, Rainwater Management Model Development for Agriculture in the Savu Island
Semi-Arid Region, Civil Engineering Dimension Vol. 14 No. 1 (2012) 36-41.
[6] Susilawati CL, Water-trap Series Engineering with Vetiver Grass in Water Resources
Development which are Integrated and Sustainable, KoNTekS 7 Proceeding (2013) A55-A63.
[7] Susilawati CL, Sustainable Technology Innovation Inundated, Rain Water Management Scope of
Household, PIT-HATHI 31 Proceeding (2014) 51-62.
[8] Susilawati CL, Implementation Study of Technological Innovation in Addressing Problems of
Water Resources Management in NTT, PIT-HATHI 30 Proceeding (2013) 112-121.