We all are aware of the fact that our planet has limited resources for fresh water. Out of all the water on Earth, only 2.5 % is fresh water, including frozen in glaciers, ice, snow, lakes, swamps and rivers. With the increasing population worldwide, there is an increasing demand for freshwater resources.
Rainwater harvesting is a well-designed approach to supplement the increasing water requirement. Rainwater harvesting system collects rainwater from impermeable surfaces to be stored and used later. This provides many benefits and opportunities for water conservation it is also becoming an essential feature for a sustainable home.
Rainwater is one of the easiest and the cheapest resource that can be used and for the restoration of underground water. Typically in urban areas, rainwater is collected to supplement irrigation needs; on the other hand, in rural areas, it can be used for landscaping, car washing, laundry, toilet flushing, etc. Rainwater should not be consumed without proper filtration and purifications.
The concept of rainwater is pretty simple – gather rainwater and store it for later use.
There are 2 types of rainwater harvesting system;
Roof catchment
Roof catchment is one of the important components of rainwater harvesting, which is used for collecting rainwater. The roof provides an ideal catchment surface for harvesting rainwater. It’s a large open surface area for collecting rain water and most importantly available free of charge.
Approximately, 2271.25 litres of rainwater can be harvested from about 1-inch of rain from a thousand square foot roof.
Ground catchment
Ground rainwater harvesting system is a much simpler approach than rooftop version as it offers the possibilities of a wider catchment area. With this method, water can be collected through drain pipes or earthen dams and stored above or below ground in tanks. Even though, the quality of ground rainwater may be very poor, but suitable for landscaping needs.
Cost
Rainwater systems range from extremely basic to highly technical; this can be modified as per your needs and requirements.
| Advantages Rainwater Harvesting System | Disadvantage Rainwater Harvesting System |
| Easy to Maintain | Unpredictable Rainfall |
| Reducing Water Bills | The initial cost to install a rainwater harvesting system can be higher than expected |
| Suitable for Irrigation | Rainwater harvesting systems require regular maintenance |
| Reduces Demand on Ground Water | Certain types of roofs may seep chemicals. |
| Reduces Floods and Soil Erosion | Risk of contamination if not maintained properly. |
| Can be Used for Several Non-drinking Purposes | Storage Limits |
| Rainwater for drinking purpose with proper purification | |
| Increases the value of your home | |
