Importance of Rain Water Harvesting

Do you know that it takes around 10 years of rain water harvesting to replenish the ground water level if depleted completely. It is a matter of grave concern that the water level is depleting consistently due to the unabated use of it. Excessive construction, unauthorized industrial usage, poor or deficient monsoons and illegally dug deep bore wells are some of the common reasons adding to ground water depletion.

There are many ways to help the situation; one such way is by harvesting the rain water. Rain water harvesting means, collecting the rain water in an overhead tank/sump of a house/apartment, filtering the same and then sending it to the ground through pipes.

In many cities of South like Bangalore, Chennai etc. it is a mandatory requirement for all households to install rainwater harvesting system. The importance of developing rainwater harvesting system is briefly explained below:

1. Sustainable Water Supply

Conserving rainwater does not cost a lot and it is a very safe source of water supply. Unlike ground water, rain water is soft and pure. It does not cause any rusting to the storage containers or pipes. Therefore by conserving rain water a sustainable water supply source can be set up.

2. Rain Harvesting to Remove Contaminants

Seasonal rains help in clearing dust, dirt and other contaminants from the places around us. Rain water harvesting system purifies this water before it reaches the ground again.

3. Rain Water Harvesting for Agricultural Use

Harvested rainwater is used for agricultural purposes in many places . It is an effective weapon to fight against drought. If the rain water is harvested, it can provide enough water to irrigate a farmer’s land and grow crops of an entire dry season spell. Not only that, it can also support livestock and restore groundwater levels.

4. Conservation of Groundwater

With increase in population, the demand for water is also continuously increasing. As a result, many residential colonies and industries are extracting excessive ground water to meet their daily requirements. Worriedly therefore, ground water levels have drastically dropped in several areas. By harvesting rain water these levels can be restored.

5. Reduces Water bills

On an industrial scale, harvesting rainwater can provide large amount of water supply. It could help in smooth functioning of many operations without having to deplete the nearby water sources. Most packaged water companies like Bisleri, Kinley, Aqua Fina and so on have huge rain water harvesting facilities. Also, their production plants try to maintain the ecological balance of the ground water.

6. De-clogging of Drains & Roads

During excessive rains, most roads and drains get clogged. If a rain water harvesting system is in place then water can be diverted towards it and drains and roads would not get clogged or overflow.

At a time when more and more rivers are running dry, harvesting rain water has become imperative. It definitely has innumerable benefits with minimal one time efforts. Once the tank is built and filtration process is set up, the system works automatically requiring no manual intervention. It is equally important for each one of us to adapt this habit and make our contribution to mother earth.

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