Rain Water Harvesting (or RWH) is the latest mantra that’s catching on in every cooperative housing society. Water is scarce, and saving rain water is one of the best ways in which this scarcity can be met and fulfilled. Rain water can be directly collected and stored through tanks during the monsoon season under rain water harvesting, or this method can also be used to replenish the ground water supply.

 

The Necessity

Rains during the monsoon are irregular, especially in India. Some monsoon months bring torrential rain, whereas others bring very sparse showers. Conserving water and saving water for daily use becomes essential for this reason, so immediate steps should be taken to capture and store large quantities of rain water.

This can be easily done with the help of a few structures that every cooperative housing society should have. Rain water harvesting is becoming commonplace, so a cooperative housing society with a good RWH system can ward off problem of water scarcity better.

Structures That A Cooperative Housing Society Should Have

There are two ways to store rainwater:

• Rain water can be collected in tanks and used whenever required
• Rain water can be collected and redirected to replenish that groundwater supply

The latter option is a better idea, as it will serve the community as a whole. Structures that can be constructed in a cooperative housing society for this purpose are:

Dug Wells

Dug wells or water wells can be used to recharge the groundwater supply. These wells are open structures, though, and proper care should be taken to filter the rain water before it is diverted underground.

Pits

Pits can be used to recharge underground layers of water, and these recharge pits are generally filled with stones. This will help filter the water, and it will also serve as a safety measure. Pits are safer than dug wells, which are open structures and can be dangerous when kids are around.

Recharge Wells

These are forms of wells that are used to pump water into aquifers that are underground. This is another way of recharging the groundwater supply. It should be noted that these wells are also known as injection wells.

Trenches

Trenches can be created all around the cooperative housing society in order to save water. Rather than leaving a trench open, filter materials can be used to ensure that the water which reaches the underground aquifers is clean. Trenches are not as dangerous as dug wells, as these are just a meter deep.

Shafts

Lateral shafts can be constructed along with a couple of bore wells in order to recharge the groundwater body. These shafts are not dangerous as they’ll be filled with pebbles, gravel and sand for filtration purposes.

These structures can be constructed in a housing society, once a consensus is reached on Rain Water Harvesting and its importance. The housing society can potentially enjoy uninterrupted water supply even during the driest summer months in this way.

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This article aims at collating and providing information for benefit of ApnaComplex customers and blog readers. While ApnaComplex has taken every care to ensure the information is accurate, we suggest to please use it only as a guidance for further discussion and action with help of relevant professionals.