AP-212

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Harvesting
 Rain water Harvesting

 Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is a simple method by which rainfall is

collected for future usage.

 Rainwater harvesting- technology used for collecting & storing rainwater

from rooftops, land surface or catchments/ watersheds using various
techniques such as tanks or check dams or recharge to aquifer.

 The collected rainwater may be stored, utilised in different ways or directly

used for recharge purpose.

 Most promising alternatives for supplying freshwater in the face of

increasing water scarcity & escalating demand.
Why Rain water Harvesting????
Delhi fears water shortage as groundwater level hits
dangerous low
 Need of water Harvesting
• Rainwater Harvesting -yield copious amounts of water. For average
rainfall of 1,000mm, approximately four million liters of rainwater can be
collected in a year in an acre of land (4,047 m2), post-evaporation.

• As RWH is neither energy-intensive nor labor-intensive, - a cost-

effective alternative to other water-accruing methods, such as
desalination of seawater & water transfer.

• With the water table falling rapidly, & with concrete buildings, paved car
parks, business complexes, & landfill dumps taking the place of water
bodies landfill dumps taking the place of water bodies, RWH is the most
reliable solution for augmenting groundwater level to attain self-
sufficiency in public distribution of water.
 Purposes – Rain Water Harvesting
Rainwater Harvesting techniques can serve the following purposes:

• Agricultural and human consumption

• Freshwater augmentation
• Increase groundwater recharge
• Reduce storm water discharges, urban floods and overloading of
sewage treatment plants
• Reduce seawater ingress in coastal areas
 From Where We Can Harvest Rainwater
Rainwater can be harvested from the following surfaces:

Rooftops: If buildings with impervious roofs are already in

place, the catchment area is effectively available free of charge
and they provide a supply at the point of consumption.

Paved and unpaved areas: i.e., landscapes, open fields, parks,

storm water drains, roads and pavements and other open areas
can be effectively used to harvest the runoff.
The main advantage in using ground as a collecting surface is that
water can be collected from a larger area. This is particularly
advantageous in areas of low rainfall.

Water bodies: The potential of water bodies such as lakes, tanks and ponds to store
rainwater is immense. The harvested rainwater can be used not only to meet water
requirements of the city; it also recharges ground water aquifers.

Storm water drains: Most of the residential colonies have proper network of storm
water drains. If maintained neatly, these offer a simple and cost effective means for
harvesting rainwater.
Rainwater Harvesting – Advantages

 Provides self-sufficiency to water supply

 Reduces the cost for pumping of groundwater

 Provides high quality water, soft and low in minerals

 Improves the quality of ground water through dilution when recharged to

groundwater

 Reduces soil erosion in urban areas

 Rooftop rain water harvesting is less ex pensive

 Rainwater harvesting systems are simple which can be adopted by individuals

 Rooftop rain water harvesting systems are easy t o construct, operate and
maintain.
Basic Components of RWH:
All rainwater-harvesting systems
comprise six basic components
irrespective of the size of the system.

1. Catchment area/roof: The

surface upon which the rain falls;
the roof has to be appropriately
sloped preferably towards the
direction of storage and recharge.

2. Gutters and downspouts: The transport channels from catchment surface to

storage; these have to be designed depending on site, rainfall characteristics and
roof characteristics.
3. Leaf screens and roof washers: The systems that remove contaminants and
debris; a first rain separator has to be put in place to divert and manage the first 2.5
mm of rain.
4. Cisterns or storage tanks: Sumps, tanks etc. where collected rain-water is
safely stored or recharging the ground water through open wells, bore wells or
percolation pits etc.;

5. Conveying: The delivery system for the treated rainwater, either by gravity or
pump;

6. Water treatment: Filters to remove solids and organic material and equipment,
and additives to settle, filter, and disinfect.
Filters

Gravity Based Filter Sand Filters

Factors Affecting the Quantity of Storm water

1. The factors affecting the quantity of storm water flow are as below:
2. Area of the catchment
3. Slope and shape of the catchment area
4. Porosity of the soil
5. Obstruction in the flow of water as trees, fields, gardens, etc.
6. Initial state of catchment area with respect to wetness.
7. Intensity and duration of rainfall
8. Atmospheric temperature and humidity
9. Number and size of ditches present in the area
Rain Water Harvesting Calculation
Run-off
• Runoff is the term applied to the water that flows away from a catchment after falling on
its surface in the form of rain.
• Runoff can be generated from both paved and unpaved catchment areas of buildings.
• The nature of the catchment determines the quantity of runoff that occurs from the area.
For example,
• about 70 per cent of the rainfall that occurs over the tiled surface of a terrace would
flow as runoff while only 10 per cent of the rainfall on a wooded or grassy area

Run-off Coefficient

• Runoff coefficient for any catchment is the ratio of the volume of water that runs off a
surface to the volume of rainfall that falls on the surface.

• Factor accounts that all the rainfall falling on a catchment cannot be collected.

• Some rainfall will be lost from the catchment by evaporation & retention on the surface
itself.
 Amount of water harvested =
Area of catchment (m2) X Runoff Coefficient X Amount of Rainfall(mm)

Area of the catchment (A) = 100 sq.m.

Average annual rainfall (R) = 600 mm (0.6 m)
Runoff coefficient (C) = 0.85
Annual water harvesting potential from 100 sq.m. roof
=AxRxC
= 100 x 0.6 x 0.85
= 51 cu.m. (51,000 litres)

• The tank capacity has to be designed for the dry period, i.e., the period between the
two consecutive rainy seasons. With the rainy season extending over four months,
the dry season is of 245 days.
• Particular care must be taken to ensure that potable water is not contaminated by
the collected rainwater.
• Drinking water requirement for the family
(dry season) = 245 x 5 x 10 = 12,250 litres.
• As a safety factor, the tank should be built 20 per cent larger than required, i.e.,
14,700 litres. This tank can meet the basic drinking water requirement of a 5-
member family for the dry period.
THANKS…..