SARDAR VALLABHBHAI NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ,

SURAT- 395007 GUJARAT (INDIA)

A Report Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements

For the Degree of

Bachelor OF TECHNOLOGY
On

RAIN WATER HARVESTING : AN ALTERNATE SOURCE

OF WATER
by

Pradeep Limani
(U09CE077)

Mentor

Mr. B.N.Tandel
Assistant Professor
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that the seminar report untitled “RAIN WATER HARVESTING”
submitted by Mr. Pradeep Limani of B.Tech IVth Semester 7th in partial fulfillment
of the requirement for the award of the degree in B.Tech. Of Sardar Vallabhbhai
National Institute of Technology, Surat is record of his own work carried out under
my supervision and guidance.

Mr. B.N.Tandel Dr. J.N.Patel

Assistant Professor, Professor & Head,
Civil Engineering Department Civil Engineering Department
SVNIT, SURAT. SVNIT, SURAT.

EXAMINER:

…....................................

……………………........

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Acknowledgement

I take opportunity to express my deep sense of gratitude and indebtedness to “Mr.

B.N.Tandel” in Civil Engineering department, SVNIT, Surat for his valuable
guidance, useful comments and co-operation with kind and encouraging attitude at all
stages of the experimental work for the successful completion of this work.

I would also like to thank our head of department „Dr. J.N.Patel.

I am also thankful to SVNIT, Surat and its staff for providing this opportunity which
helped in gaining knowledge and to make this Seminar report successful.

Thank You

Pradeep Limani
(U09CE077)

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 INDEX
No. Topic Page

1. INTRODUCTION 5

2. SOURCES OF WATER 6
2.1. RAIN WATER

3. RAIN WATER HARVESTING 8

3.1. NECESSITY

3.2. ADVANTAGES OF RAIN WATER HARVESTING

3.3. DISADVANTAGES OF RAIN WATER HARVESTING

4. WATER SUPPLY AND DEMAND. 10

5. RAIN WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES. 11

5.1. ROOF TOP RAINWATER HARVESTING (RTRWH)

5.2. SURFACE RUN OFF HARVESTING

6. SOCIO-ECONOMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL 17

CONSIDERATIONS IN RAIN WATER HARVESTING.

7. SUMMARY 18

REFERENCE 19

WEBOGRAPHY 19

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 1. Introduction
Water is the most common or major substance on earth, covering more than 70% of the planet‟s
surface. The total amount of water on earth remains constant. The rapid growth in population
together with the extension of irrigated agriculture and industrial development, are putting stress
on the natural ecosystems. In the face of growing problems, society has begun to realize that it
can no longer subscribe to a use and discard philosophy with any natural resource. One such
resource is WATER.

Water is an integral part of land/soil productivity. Its misuse can cause both degradation and
erosion of soils. Management of water resource is considered to necessary for well-being of
human life as well as crop yields. There is a gap between the seasonal availability of water and
its equitable supply throughout the year. Accordingly the storage of water and passage through
soils is very important. It is well known area in this country is subject to varying degree of water
stress. There are areas with heavy rainfall but water problems become predominant during non-
monsoon periods.

Communities around the world are suffering more and more from water shortages- water tables
are dropping as more underground water is pumped out; and droughts are becoming more
frequent. There is a solution, though, and it is within the grasp of every community- rainwater
harvesting. It‟s not a new technology- it was practiced centuries ago, but went out of fashion.

Rain water flows down the hills in the form of small streams which join together to form rivers
and lakes. And this is the important and the natural source of water for the living beings. Some of
the rain water percolates down the earth until it reaches the hard surface. There it collects to form
a large underground water reservoir. Such water is obtained on digging wells and it is called sub-
soil water or ground water.

To deal with Water, a technique called RAIN WATER HARVESTING was introduced where
rain water is used to meet some of our daily needs.

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 2. Sources of water

Hydrologic cycle
The never-ending exchange of water from the atmosphere to the oceans and back is known as the
hydrologic cycle. This cycle is the source of all forms of precipitation (Hail, rain, sleet and
snow) and thus of all the water. Precipitation stored in streams, lakes and soil evaporates while
water stored in plants transpires to form clouds which store the water in the atmosphere.
Currently, about 75% to 80% of conventional water supply is from lakes, rivers and wells.
Making the most efficient use of these limited and precious resources is essential. Otherwise,
scarcity of water will be faced by our future generations. This includes using appliances and
plumbing fixtures that conserve water, not wasting water, and taking advantage of alternative
water sources such as grey-water reuse and rain water harvesting.

Major Sources of Water on Earth are in the form of:-

1. Rainfall
2. Snowfall
3. Groundwater

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2.1. RAIN WATER
Rainwater is a necessary part of the water cycle on planet Earth and vital to a balanced
ecosystem. Rain falling from the sky allows water to reenter lakes, rivers and oceans after being
cycled via evaporation. Rainwater is harvested for use on gardens and provides drinking water
for humans and other animals.
Rainfall is variable and unpredictable, especially in dry climates that are susceptible to
droughts. The rain water‟s environmental advantage and purity over other water options makes it
the first choice, even though the precipitation cycle may fluctuate from year to year.
In India rain water is the Basic source.

Rain

Surface sources Ground sources

Lakes, impounding reservoirs, Springs, Wells, Infiltration wells
rivers, streams, irrigation canals

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3. RAIN WATER HARVESTING
i. Rainwater harvesting is the accumulating and storing of rainwater for reuse before it
reaches the aquifer. It has been used to provide drinking water, water for livestock,
water for irrigation, as well as other typical uses. Rainwater collected from the roofs
of houses and local institutions can make an important contribution to the availability
of drinking water.
ii. The principle of collecting and using precipitation from a catchments surface.
iii. Rain water harvesting means to make optimum use of rain water at the place where it
falls i.e. conserve it and not allow draining away and causing floods elsewhere.

3.1. Necessity

Water is one of the most essential requirements for existence of living beings Due to over
population and higher usage levels of water in urban areas, water supply agencies are unable
to cope up demand from surface sources like dams, reservoirs, rivers etc. Replenishment of
ground water is drastically reduced due to paving of open areas. Water should never be
wasted and allowed to flow out of any village or community facing a drinking water
shortage. It costs less to collect rainwater than to exploit groundwater.

Surface water is inadequate to meet our demand and we have to depend on ground water.
Due to rapid urbanization, infiltration of rain water into the sub-soil has decreased drastically
and recharging of ground water has diminished. The cost of water increases day by day and
to make it more economical water need to be reserve. Some other reasons are Planning
conditions Infrastructure restriction due to which proper ground recharge is not possible.

Natural replenishment of ground water reservoir is slow and is unable to keep pace with the
excessive continued exploitation of ground water resources in various parts of the country.
This has resulted in declining ground water levels and depleted ground water resources in
large areas of the country.

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 3.2. ADVANTAGES OF RAIN WATER HARVESTING
Rainwater harvesting systems are simple to install, operate, and maintain. It is convenient in
the sense that it provides water at the point of consumption and operating costs are negligible.
Few more points are given below:
 Promotes adequacy of underground water.
 Rainwater harvesting provides a buffer for use in times of emergency or breakdown of
the public water supply systems, particularly during natural disasters.
 Reduces soil erosion as surface run-off is reduced.
 Improves ground water quality / decreases salinity (by dilution).
 It uses local construction materials and labor.
 Sources of energy are not needed to operate the systems.
 Technology is based on traditional methods and relatively simple to construct, install and
operate.
 The owner/user can easily maintain the systems.
 The water is convenient and accessible; valuable time and effort are saved in collecting
and/or hauling water.
 It provides a supply of water to meet future agricultural needs.
 Operation and maintenance costs are also almost negligible.
3.3. DISADVANTAGES OF RAIN WATER HARVESTING
Rain water harvesting system has some limits as it is not available throughout the year
and the following are some other disadvantages of it:
 Seasonal nature and uncertainty of rainwater supply depending on the region in the
world.
 Capital costs required to construct and install a rainwater harvesting system may still be
high for the end users.
 Regular maintenance and cleaning is essential for successful operation.
 Potential breeding grounds for mosquitoes if storage tanks are not properly covered and
maintained.
 Requires a "bottom up" rather than the traditional "top down" approach often used by
Government and international organizations in other water resource development
Projects.

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4. Water Supply and Demand

Water Demand
Residents in developed countries use significantly more water on a daily basis than
hose living in developing countries. Per capita domestic water consumption in North
America (about 350 litres per day) and Europe (about 200 litres per day) are high
compared to 50-150 litres per day in developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin
America.

Domestic water demand includes Drinking, Food Preparation and cooking, washing
dishes, Personal Hygiene (e.g. hand washing, bathing, and brushing teeth), toilet flushes,
washing clothes etc.

Non-Domestic demand of water are Watering gardens (e.g. trees, flowers, vegetables),
Water for animals (e.g. pets, chickens, small livestock), washing vehicles, Water for
construction (e.g. repairing mud walls).

Demand for domestic and non-domestic purposes is increasing day by day. Surface water
is not adequate for meeting the demands so we have to depend on ground water.

Water Supply
The quantity of available rainwater supply depends on the:
 Amount of rainfall
 Catchment area
 Runoff coefficient

The following equation is used to calculate of the maximum amount of water that can be
supplied by a particular catchment area:
Supply (m3/year) = Rainfall (m/year) x Catchment Area (m2) x Runoff Coefficient.

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5. Rainwater Harvesting Techniques
There are two main techniques of rain water harvestings.
1. Rooftop Rainwater harvesting System (RTRWH).
2. Surface Run off harvesting.

The storage of rain water on surface is a traditional techniques and structures used were
underground tanks, ponds, check dams, weirs etc. Recharge to ground water is a new concept
of rain water harvesting.

5.1Roof top rainwater harvesting (RTRWH)

In rooftop harvesting, the roof becomes the catchments, and the rainwater is collected
from the roof of the house/building. It can either be stored in a tank or diverted to
artificial recharge system. This method is less expensive and very effective and if
implemented properly helps in augmenting the ground water level of the area.

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The system mainly constitutes of following components:
 Catchments
 Transportation
 First flush
 Filter
1. Catchment
The surface that receives rainfall directly is the catchment of rainwater harvesting system.
It may be terrace, courtyard, or paved or unpaved open ground. The terrace may be flat
RCC/stone roof or sloping roof. Therefore the catchment is the area, which actually
contributes rainwater to the harvesting system.

Catchment area

2. Transportation
Rainwater from rooftop should be carried through down take water pipes or drains
to storage/harvesting system. Water pipes should be UV resistant (ISI HDPE/PVC pipes)
of required capacity. Water from sloping roofs could be caught through gutters and down
take pipe. At terraces, mouth of the each drain should have wire mesh to restrict floating
material.

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3. First flush
First flush is a device used to flush off the water received in first shower. The first
shower of rains needs to be flushed-off to avoid contaminating storable/rechargeable
water by the probable contaminants of the atmosphere and the catchment roof. It will also
help in cleaning of silt and other material deposited on roof during dry seasons Provisions
of first rain separator should be made at outlet of each drainpipe.

4. Filters
There is always some skepticism regarding Roof Top Rainwater harvesting since doubts
are raised that rainwater may contaminate groundwater. There is remote possibility of
this fear coming true if proper filter mechanism is not adopted. Secondly all care must be
taken to see that underground sewer drains are not punctured and no leakage is taking
place in close vicinity. Filters are used for treatment of water to effectively remove
turbidity, colour and microorganisms. After first flushing of rainfall, water should pass
through filters. There are different types of filters in practice, but basic function is to
purify water.

Components of Rain water harvesting system

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5.2 Surface Run off harvesting.
In urban area rainwater flows away as surface runoff. This runoff could be caught and
used for recharging aquifers by adopting appropriate methods. Surface runoff is the water
flow that occurs when the soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water from rain,
melt water, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the water
cycle, and the primary agent in water erosion.

Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source.
If a nonpoint source contains man-made contaminants, the runoff is called nonpoint
source pollution. A land area which produces runoff that drains to a common point is
called a drainage basin. When runoff flows along the ground, it can pick up soil
contaminants including, but not limited to petroleum, pesticides, or fertilizers that
become discharge or nonpoint source pollution.

Surface Run-off Harvesting

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5.2.1Applications of Ground catchment in India:
Ground catchment systems are more commonly used for farming and irrigation than for
drinking water purposes. The exception is in India where there is a long history of
rainwater harvesting for domestic use.
1. Kundis
The villagers of the Thar Desert have evolved an ingenious system of rainwater
harvesting, known as kunds or kundis, to tackle their drinking water problems. They are
more prevalent on the western arid regions of Rajasthan and in areas where the limited
groundwater is moderate to highly saline. Kundis are owned by communities or privately, with
the wealthy having one or more of their own.
The catchment size varies from 20 m2 to 2 ha depending on the runoff needed and land
availability. The ground surface area is treated to reduce infiltration and increase the amount of
rainwater runoff collected. The kundi storage tanks are generally circular in shape with a depth
and diameter ranging from 3 to 4.5 m.

Kunds at the thar desert

2. Ooranis
Ooranis are constructed tanks or ponds which are designed to harvest and store
rainwater to meet the drinking needs of a community. There are as many as 39,000
ooranis in Tamilnadu State alone, and almost every village in the Ramanathapuram

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 District has an oorani. The pond is created by excavating the soil which is then used to form
bunds around the area. Ooranis are generally located in an area with impermeable soil so that
water loss due to infiltration is minimized.

Ooranis

3. Paar System
Paar is a common water harvesting practice in the western Rajasthan region of India. In this
system, the rainwater flows from the agar (catchment area) and in the process percolates into
the sandy soil. Traditional wells, known as kuis or beris, are dug 5 to 12 m deep to access the
water. Using traditional masonry technology, six to ten of the kuis or beris are constructed in
a paar. Rainwater harvested through the paar technique is known as patali paani.

Kuis

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6. Socio-economic and Environmental consideration in Rain Water Harvesting

Social, economic and environmental factors are important considerations in the selection,
development and implementation of an appropriate technology. India has a long tradition
of water harvesting. Many of the traditional water harvesting systems have either fallen to
disuse due to a variety of physical, social, economic, cultural and political factors that
have caused their deterioration. For a successful rainwater harvesting project it must be
integrated and holistic.
Socio-economic consideration includes social issues, gender issues, political issues, Cost
implications, Health issues.

Social Considerations
The needs, desires, beliefs, perceptions, experiences, and existing practice of a
Community influences the social acceptability of a project. Conducting a social
assessment is a worthwhile exercise to understand the community‟s current perceptions
and practices with respect to rainwater harvesting.
The social structure, organization, administration and leadership of a community are also
important factors that can influence the success of a project. Communities with a history
of cooperation are more likely to successfully implement a project than a community
with no such history.

Economic Considerations
It is often difficult to take economic considerations into account when implementing a
water supply project. There is usually an inverse relationship between the cost of water
and the ability to pay. The cost of installation, maintenance, Affordability and financing
also comes under economic considerations.

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7. Summary

Rain water harvesting is one of the best way to solve the world faced burning issue i.e.
water scarcity.
Rain water harvesting is an ideal solution to water problems in areas having inadequate
water resources. It helps in raising Ground water level as well as improvement in its
quality. It mitigates the effects of drought and achieves drought proofing. Rain water
harvesting reduces the runoff which chokes the storm water drains. Flooding and Soil
erosion can be reduced effectively. It results in saving of energy per well for lifting of
ground water. It also helps in saving water bills. Need of transporting water from one
place to another in tanks is also reduced.
RWH techniques are economical and it can be easily installed to meet the basic demands
like daily household needs. Rain water harvesting installation cost is recovered in 2-3
years‟ time. This water can be used for watering gardens and washing cars etc.
The important thing that we have to keep in mind it‟s not a permanent solution because
rainwater is not available throughout the year.
Last but not least WATER is a very important resource we should save it up to the last
drop of water.
Rainwater harvesting is a noble goal and it‟s a common responsibility of all of us.

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References

(1) CAWST Manual, “Household Rain water harvesting”, a CAWST (Centre for Affordable
water and Sanitation Technology),Canada.(November 2011)

(2) Padre Shree, “Rain water harvesting” Published by Altermedia, Brahmaswom Madam
building, M G Road thrissur 680001, India ISBN 81-87612-03-7. (September 2003)

(3) Indian Railways Institute of Civil engineering Pune, “Rain water harvesting”. (August
2006)

(4) School of Engineering, and University of Warwick, UK, “Domestic Roof water
Harvesting Research Program”, Development Technology Unit”.

Webography

 www.rainwater-toolkit.net/index.php?id=75
 http://www.waterharvesters.com/index.php/rainwaterharvesting
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainwater_harvesting.
 http://mppcb.nic.in/RWH.htm
 http://www.k4rd.org/water_rainwtr_harveting.htm

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