Rain Water Harvesting - Solution

My heart sinks when I see people going around everywhere in search of drinking water and water for their daily use.

Then after meditating I visualized a solution which is the one that could bring in total relief to the needs of people.

By nature God has given abundant water for man's needs but men are just wasting it making it flow through storm water drains. It is thus so simple to just click on to the water God gives and live happily.

One of my friend has in his house rain-water harvesting installed and he is totally free from water needs. He does not go begging for water from outer sources. You too can be free if you harvest the rain. But I know not all people will be able to do since they do not have place to do it. Here is what the Government should step in to help people.

Though I have discussed the solution for Bangalore people in India, this can be followed by government all over the world.

Water scarcity will hit all over the world unless some drastic steps and solutions are not found out to combat it.

Below I plan out a method to combat it.

We know that there is abundant source of rain-water which flows over to the drains and out of the city.

Our aim will be to collect and store this rain-water for our scarce days.

We know that owners of site measuring 2400 Sq.ft. are asked to compulsorily do rain-water harvesting in Bangalore, but these do not apply to 1200 Sq.ft. site owners i.e., single site owners.

Presently only some 25,000 households in Bangalore have installed it and some more houses will install it. But majority of households will not and they will not be able to. It is water from these people we have to collect in and store.

Most of these people are from middle-income group and hence the Government has to step in and invest in rain-water harvesting. The rain water passing through the roofs of these single site owners has to be made to flow through pipes which are laid for this purpose and made to flow to under-ground and to the pit constructed right in the middle of the road.   We see the roads are laid in such a way that it never allows rain-water to sip through.   And there are cement roads!

Yes, right in the middle of the road sump/pits are to be constructed for collection of rain-waters. These sumps/pits are to be closed with concrete slabs to withstand the weight of the vehicles passing above it. The clean rain water has to fill up these pits during rainy days.   The sumps can measure according to the roads size etc.   It is advisable to have a rectangle sized sumps.    When we are able to cover man-holes and the vehicles pass over it,  it is not difficult to cover these sumps and allow the vehicles to pass over it.

For every 10 to 15 or even 20 row houses one sump maybe built and the water can be collected in this sump to increase the ground water level.

These sumps strictly need to be used for collecting rain-water and for nothing else. The sumps should have a small hole so that periodic inspection is done to see if public have been letting only clean rain-water.

Some places may also be earmarked (not playgrounds) for construction of big sumps. A water tank need be constructed by the side of it and the water pumped above during abundant rains. Immediately next day onwards the water has to be released from these tanks to the very sump where the water was collected from.

Once these plans gets way there can be improvisations as when it becomes necessary with new ideas.

The funds as said should come out of Government treasury. Big companies and I.T. Industries can also donate for this noble cause.

Even small water tanks can be constructed at many places by the side of the road for the very purpose of storing water drawn from the sump/pit. The water has to be released as soon as the sump/pit has the place to receive it. Never should the water be stored in over-head water tanks just like it is stored in dams for hay-days.

We see the roads are tarred and asphalted giving no way for the water to sip in to the ground when it rains. These tarred and asphalted roads need to be dug up and sumps/pits are to be constructed in a strong way so that vehicles above can pass through without any problem.

The over-head water tank should not be used for storing water for hay days. It should be released immediately when the sump/pit has place to receive it.

The importance of playground has not been given importance by the law makers and the civic body. These playgrounds not only serve as a playground for children to play but during rainy days these can become the catchment areas for collection of rain water and storing.

Right under very deep into the playground big water tanks may be built but care should be taken that the above ground is always fit for playing by children in a natural way.

The playground should be well covered with mud and sand or even grass for the children to play freely.

It is thus important that every layout formed has sufficient large grounds earmarked for playgrounds which serve both the purpose as a playground and as a rain-harvester.