Plumbing:

Rainwater
waterManagement
Supply

Syed Azizul Haq, PEng

Syed Azizul Haq
M.Engg.(Env.)
M.Engg.(Env.)
Additional
Executive
ChiefEngineer
Engineer
Public
Public
Works
Works
Department
Department
Introduction
Storm water management system is for using rainwater as much as
possible in fulfilling our various demand of water and subsequently
draining the rest to suitable point of discharge.

Rainwater quality
Theoretically rainwater should be the purest form of water but it
contains some dissolved substances taken from the atmosphere while
falling. It has low content of dissolved solids and so it is tasteless.
Regular drinking of rainwater may cause deficiency of calcium and
magnesium in human body.
Rainwater is slightly acidic due to its reaction with Carbon-di-oxide
(CO2) and Sulphur-di-oxide (SO2) present in the air. Due to having
acidic nature of rainwater its taste seems to be bitter.
Various use of rainwater
Rainwater can effectively be used for the following purposes.
A. General purposes
1. Drinking and cooking.
2. Flushing toilets.
3. Bathing and ablution etc.
4. Washing utensils, clothes, vehicles etc.
5. Cleaning floors, walls, roads, parking lots etc.
6. Watering gardens and other small irrigation.
Rain water utility technology
Rainwater utility technology varies according to the purpose of use.
The technology used in rainwater harvesting is for using it in general
purposes and for recharging groundwater. For using rainwater in
other purposes mentioned earlier, the collecting and storing system
will remain same but the distribution system will be different.
Rainwater utilization technology includes an integrated technology
made up of following functional techniques.
1. Collecting rainwater from suitable catchments areas.
2. Storing rainwater in tanks.
3. Qualifying rainwater according to the purpose of use.
4. Supplying rainwater to the points of use.
5. Draining excess rainwater during heavy rain.
Rainwater collection
The major components in rainwater collection are as follows.
01. Catchments
02. Gutter
03. Rainwater down pipe (RDP) or leader
04. Filtration system
05. Storage tank.
Catchments areas for collecting rainwater
The horizontal surface area, which receives the rainwater directly and
the vertical surfaces, which contributes partially to the rainwater
accumulation are considered as the catchments area for rainwater
discharging pipes. Rainwater utilization in building complexes
usually has limited catchments areas. Generally from following built
up areas rainwater can be collected easily.
1. Roof top areas.
2. External walls and other vertical surfaces.
3. Balconies.
4. Sunshades.
5. Artificial ground areas.
6. Parking lots etc.
Measures taken for Catchments areas
01. The catchments structure must be non-toxic to human life.
02 The surface should be smooth, dense (hard inorganic).
Galvanized metal roof is preferable. Surface shall not be painted.
Bituminous roofing material should be avoided.
03.Regular cleaning of the catchments surface. Fencing should be
made around catchments surface.
04. Providing smooth, even surfaced and gentle sloped catchments.
05. Locating the catchments in a free and open area.
06. Thatched roof should be covered with polyethylene sheets.
Catchments area in flat roof
On flat roofs, storm water run off into roof drains due to a slight pitch created by a roof fill,
lime terracing etc.The high points are the ridges and the low points are the valleys that pitch
toward the drain. Table 12.1 Various slope for different surfaces on flat roof.
Sl. no. Surface condition Slope
1 Smooth surface
(Polished stone, cement/ terrazzo floor, etc.) 0.50 - 0.75%
2 Normal surfaces
(Brick, rough stone/concrete blocks, tiles, etc 0.75 - 1.00%
3 Rough surfaces
( Gravel, cobbled, etc) 1.50 - 2.00%
Storm Drainage on Roof

For a rainfall intensity of 4 inch

per hour, a 4 inch dia rainwater
down pipe can dispose of storm
water of about 3600 sq. ft
catchments area.

Slope of roof surface should be at

least 200 : 1. RIDGE LINE

RIDGE LINE

Inlet of RDP should be one size

bigger than the diameter of pipe.

Inlet of RDP shall be covered

with a dome shaped grating.

2" Ø

2" Ø

STORM WATER DRAINAGE ON ROOF

Rainwater Down Pipe (RDP)

Measures to be taken for RDP

Following measures are taken for rainwater down pipes for economy
and efficiency of the system.
01. Number of rainwater down pipe shall be kept as minimum as
possible.
02. Adequate pipe size shall be selected.
03. Dome shaped grating shall be provided on inlet of pipe.
04. Minimum number of bends shall be provided.
Proper jointing and anchorage of pipe shall be ensured
Rainwater Down Pipe (RDP)
Dome
Measures to be taken for RDP Shaped
Following measures are taken for Grating
rainwater down pipes for economy
and efficiency of the system.
01. Number of rainwater down pipe
shall be kept as minimum as possible.
02. Adequate pipe size shall be 6x4
selected. Reducer

03. Dome shaped grating shall be

provided on inlet of pipe.
04. Minimum number of bends shall 4”Dia RDP
be provided. (Rainwater Down
05. Proper jointing and anchorage of Pipe)
pipe shall be ensured
Positioning Rainwater Down Pipe

After finding the number of rainwater down pipe its position shall be well planed in
accordance with the configuration of roof plan and position of the other catchment
areas of the building.

Where possible rainwater down pipes should be proportionately distributed along

all the sides of buildings.

There shall be at least two rainwater down pipe for a reasonably big catchment
area.

Rainwater down pipes should not be too away from the ridge so that thickness of
finishing layer on roof at ridge become too thick.
Qualifying Rainwater
The quality of rainwater can be determined by the nature of the collecting sources.
The required quality level is contingent on the purpose of use.
Rainwater shall be treated in the following methods according to the purpose of use
shown in the table.

01. Screening 02. Sedimentation, 03. Filtration and 04. Disinfecting

Sl. no Rainwater uses Treatment

01 Drinking, cooking, washing Disinfecting along

utensils, bathing with filtration
02 Bathing, ablution, clothe washing, Filtration with
fountains hygienic treatment
03 Sprinkler, fire fighting, cooling Sedimentation
water for air conditioning, floor car
washing etc.
04 Toilet flushing, gardening, cleaning Screening
artificial ground, parking lots etc.
 Plumbing:
water Supply