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Rainwater harvesting
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Rainwater capture and storage system at the Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education,
Mexico City
Rainwater harvesting (RWH) the collection and storage of rain, rather than allowing
it to run off. Rainwater is collected from a roof-like surface and redirected to a tank,
cistern, deep pit (well, shaft, or borehole), aquifer or a reservoir with percolation.
Dew and fog can also be collected with nets or other tools. Rainwater harvesting
differs from stormwater harvesting as the runoff is collected from roofs, rather than
creeks, drains, roads or any other land surfaces. [1][2] Its uses include watering
gardens, livestock,[3] irrigation, domestic use with proper treatment, and domestic
heating. The harvested water can also be committed to longer-term storage
or groundwater recharge.
Rainwater harvesting is one of the simplest and oldest methods of self-supply of
water for households, and residential and household scale projects usually financed
by the user.[4] However, larger systems for schools, hospitals and other facilities can
run up costs only able to be financed by companies, organization and governmental
units.
Contents
 1History of rainwater harvesting

o 1.1Current uses
 1.1.1Canada
 1.1.2India
 1.1.3Israel
 1.1.4New Zealand
 1.1.5Sri Lanka
 1.1.6South Africa
 1.1.7United Kingdom
 1.1.8Other countries
 2New approaches
o 2.1Nontraditional
o 2.2Rainwater harvesting by freshwater-flooded forests
o 2.3Rainwater harvesting by solar power panels
 3Advantages
o 3.1Independent water supply
o 3.2Supplemental in drought
o 3.3Life-cycle assessment
 4System setup
 5Applications of rainwater harvesting
o 5.1Agriculture
o 5.2Domestic use
o 5.3Industry
 6Quality of water harvesting
 7Select suitable sites for harvesting rainwater
 8See also
 9References
 10External links
History of rainwater harvesting[edit]

The construction and use of cisterns to store rainwater can be traced back to
the Neolithic Age, when waterproof lime plaster cisterns were built in the floors of
houses in village locations of the Levant, a large area in Southwest Asia, south of
the Taurus Mountains, bound by the Mediterranean Sea in the west, the Arabian
Desert in the south, and Mesopotamia in the east. By the late 4000 BC, cisterns
were essential elements of emerging water management techniques used in dry-
land farming.[5]
Many ancient cisterns have been discovered in some parts of Jerusalem and the
entire Land of Israel. At the site believed by some to be that of the biblical city of Ai
(Khirbet et-Tell), a large cistern dating back to around 2500 BC was discovered that
had a capacity of nearly 1,700 m3 (60,000 cu ft). It was carved out of a solid rock,
lined with large stones, and sealed with clay to keep from leaking. [5]
Shivaganga Tank in Tamil Nadu
The Greek island of Crete is also known for its use of large cisterns for rainwater
collection and storage during the Minoan period from 2,600 BC–1,100 BC. Four
large cisterns have been discovered at Myrtos–Pyrgos, Archanes, and Zakroeach.
The cistern found at Myrtos-Pyrgos was found to have a capacity of more than
80 m3 (2,800 cu ft) and date back to 1700 BC.[5]
Around 300 BCE, farming communities in Balochistan (now located in Pakistan,
Afghanistan, and Iran), and Kutch, India, used rainwater harvesting for agriculture
and many other uses.[6] Rainwater harvesting was done by Chola kings as well.
Rainwater from the Brihadeeswarar temple (located in Balaganpathy
[7]
Nagar, Thanjavur, India) was collected in Shivaganga tank.[8] During the later Chola

period, the Vīrānam tank was built (1011 to 1037 CE) in the Cuddalore district
of Tamil Nadu to store water for drinking and irrigation purposes. Vīrānam is a 16-
km-long tank with a storage capacity of 1,465,000,000 cu ft (41,500,000 m3).
Rainwater harvesting was also common in the Roman Empire.[9] While Roman
aqueducts are well-known, Roman cisterns were also commonly used and their
construction expanded with the Empire. [5] For example, in Pompeii, rooftop water
storage was common before the construction of the aqueduct in the 1st century BC.
[10]
This history continued with the Byzantine Empire, for example the Basilica
Cistern in Istanbul.
Though little-known, for centuries the town of Venice depended on rainwater
harvesting. The lagoon which surrounds Venice is brackish water, which is not
suitable for drinking. The ancient inhabitants of Venice established a system of
rainwater collection which was based on man-made insulated collection wells.
[11]
Water percolated down the specially designed stone flooring, and was filtered by a
layer of sand, then collected at the bottom of the well. Later, as Venice acquired
territories on the mainland, it started to import water by boat from local rivers, but the
wells remained in use and were especially important in the time of war when access
to the mainland water could be blocked by an enemy.
Current uses[edit]
Canada[edit]
Main article: Rainwater harvesting in Canada
Several Canadians have started implementing rainwater harvesting systems for use
in stormwater reduction, irrigation, laundry, and lavatory plumbing. Substantial
reform to Canadian law since the mid-2000s has increased the use of this
technology in agricultural, industrial, and residential use, but ambiguity remains
amongst legislation in many provinces. Bylaws and local municipal codes often
regulate rainwater harvesting.
India

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Rainwater harvesting

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jump to navigationJump to search

 1History of rainwater harvesting

History of rainwater harvesting[edit]

Shivaganga Tank in Tamil Nadu

Nagar, Thanjavur, India) was collected in Shivaganga tank.[8] During the later Chola

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