“Rainwater harvesting is a good alternative in times of water scarcity. Following this positive trend, many housing societies are going for it”
Studies reveal that water scarcity is one of the gravest problems that the earth is going to face in the future. So, saving water and using it judiciously should be life’s mandate now. Don’t let your water tanks dry and save the rain falling from the sky! Rainwater harvesting, a term we all are acquainted with, is taken quite seriously by most of Gujarat’s housing societies. It’s a Process which is carried out using artificially designed systems wherein rainwater flowing off natural or manmade catchments are gathered and stored.
Garima Parikh, a working professional, whose society has opted for rainwater harvesting system upon her imposition, tells, “About five years back, when I had moved to my current society, we used to face a lot of water crisis and I was surprised to see how the authorities didn’t mind shelling tons of money on water tanks every week. And unfortunately, the water we would get wasn’t very clean too. Then I realised that instead of wasting money on unclean water, what if we find an alternative and cleaner solution! That’s when rainwater harvesting came to my mind, and I suggested our society authorities to arrange for storage tanks to catch every inch of rainwater. This is how I indulged my housing complex to opt for rainwater harvesting which is not only a step towards the betterment of our environment but also helps us in saving a lot of water for emergency Purposes.”
“A continuous advancement of technology provides promising avenues to decrease carbon footprints, thereby playing a vital role in shaping a greener future”
Contributing for a better environment
Rainwater harvesting prevents water treatment plants from overusing electricity and waterline repair machines from burning more fossil fuels than needed. This is turn helps in saving energy and reducing carbon emission. Therefore, one of the best ways to store rainwater is in rain barrels or other above-the-ground water storage tanks.
Easy Maintenance
The barrel or tank, in which rainwater is collected, needs maintenance but you can be rest assured, they are easy to maintain. Thus, these storage tanks or barrels are readily available in the market (online or offline) and can be easily used by anyone at any resident, and do not consume too much space.
Helps reduce water footprint
As per sources, water footprint is an environmental indicator that measures the volume of fresh water used throughout the entire production process of a consumer item or service. Ashwin Pandita, an environmentalist says, “Rainwater harvesting helps in integrated water management and just like carbon footprint, it offers a holistic approach to manage the use of various sources of water and infrastructural needs. In this Process, it helps in maintaining healthy waterways.”
Managing floods and drought
Rainwater harvesting not only helps in managing everyday water crises, but also floods and drought. Kruna Patel, a climate analyst, shares,” India is heavily impacted by the effects of climate change already. Calamities such as floods and drought in major parts of the country are a rising concern. In order to modify and improve the situation, one has to take baby steps. One of the solutions to tackle such problems is rainwater harvesting as it manages flood and drought conditions very effectively. The water that’s collected via this process is then made available for people to use and consume during water crisis, especially during dry season or lack of clean water.”
Maintenance of natural ecosystems
As rainwater lands on the rooftops, some toxins such as carbon dioxide, pollen, et al. come along, but what never comes is any inorganic matter. Our ecosystem suffers when the rain and soil water become scarce due to changes from wet to dry seasons or natural hazards.
Hence, the exponential rise in population teamed up with climate changes, has started to affect the groundwater supply already. While industrial area and farms had the practice of storing rainwater, now housing societies are also practicing the same. After all, the collection and storage of rainwater for domestic use is a means to replenish groundwater by allowing the rainwater to seep back into the ground via the Process of harvesting.
Vardhman Envirotech
India’s Passionate rainwater company
This article is published on: – THE ECONOMIC TIMES – 05 JUNE/2023
We would like to spread this for the benefit of fellow Indians.