Catching water where it falls:

Rain water Harvesting

Training programme
on
“Sustainable Building Policies and Practices"

28th October–
October– 30th October 2015

Shivali Jainer
Sr. Research Associate
Centre for Science and Environment
 Structure of presentation :

•Water sensitive design and planning

•Components of rainwater harvesting
•Information collection
•Whether to recharge or store
•Storage systems
•Recharge systems
•Case Studies
Why rainwater harvesting

Source: water sensitive urban design in UK Ideas for built environment practitioners
Why rainwater harvesting

RAINWATER: Availability in
area, management to meet water
demand in local areas.

WASTE WATER: managed and reused

References
for non‐domestic purposes

STORM WATER: managed through

surface water bodies+ optimal storm
water channel : Green infrastructure

Urban Development:
planned and executed in a mannerSheetso
No.as
2 to lower
the hydrological impact of urbanization and
present opportunities for improved water
management

Source: Jainer, S (2012), Storm Water Drainage and Resource Mangement

Case Study Dwarka, School Of Planning And Architecture
What could a water sensitive house look like?

Source: water sensitive urban design in UK Ideas for built

environment practitioners
Water Efficiency

35% reduction in water consumption

•Minimize the load on the municipal supply and

ground water sources through:-
•Reducing the water demand within building ‐
Water Conservation through water saving fixtures
•Landscape- choice of native plants species,
efficient irrigation equipments
•Recycling of wastewater

Source: Jainer, S (2012), Storm Water Drainage and Resource Mangement

Case Study Dwarka, School Of Planning And Architecture
Source: Watertight, Down to Earth, 15 October, 2010
 Catchment Data

Tiled

Tin sheets
Catchment Size
Roof tops
Cement
CATCHMENTS

For
Paved

Land
surface Unpaved
Runoff
coefficient
Semi ‐paved
 Catchment Data

Unpaved

Paved

Roof top

Catchment Variety

Sloping / flat / Barrel roof

Area = Length (L) x Breadth (B)

Size of Catchment area

Urban Catchments

Source: Google Earth Imagery

 Runoff Coefficients and RWH potential

Water that will be

available for storage
or recharge.

Catchment Variety Surface Types Runoff

co-efficient Smooth More
Tiles 0.8-0.9 surfaces Run off
ROOF CATCHMENTS Corrugated metal sheets 0.7-0.9
Concrete 0.70-0.95
Soil (slope <10%) 0.0-0.3
GROUND SURFACE Rocky material catchment 0.2-0.5
COVERED with Lawns, sandy soils having 0.05-0.10
(slope 2%)
Lawns, sandy soils having 0.10-0.15
(slope 2-7% )
Absorb
Brick pavements 0.70-0.85
Park / Cemeteries 0.1- 0.25
Unpaved water and
Play grounds 0.2-0.35 surfaces less Run off.
Asphalt and Concrete 0.70-0.95
pavement

Source: (CPWD manual on rainwater harvesting and conservation, 2002)

 Meteorological Data
METEOROLOGICAL

Annual Rainfall (Avg. of 25 yrs)

DETERMINES
Potential of
RWH
DATA

Rainfall Distribution

Peak Rainfall Intensity Option

Selection
 Example of rainfall patterns

Delhi Bangalore
250 227.2
500
200 184 402
400 371
330 324 302
Rainfall

150 119.6
300
100 83.7
178
200 147
50 22.5 22 14.5 20.6 28.5 16 5.6 10.9 100 61
20 38
0 7 11
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC ‐
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
Kochi
350 327.6

300 269.4
250
193 194.9
Rainfall

200 183.2 172.1

143
150 123.6
100
56.6
50 17.2 27.6 25.4
0
JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
 Type of structures

Parameter Type/condition Recommended

structure

(Storage, recharge or
both?)
Nature of rainfall Number of rainy days are Storage
and monsoon more, bimodal monsoon, not
intensive, uniformly distributed
Unimodal monsoon, rainfall Recharge and storage
available only for a few months
 Water Consumption & Demand
CONSUMPTION

Quantity of water used Requirements

INFLUENCE
DEMAND:
WATER

Per capita water demand

Design
Water demand during the driest period specification
 Geological and Hydrological information

•If soil will allow water to

Soil
percolate easily –
Hydrological information

sand, gravel, silt, loam and clay

Geological and

Rock •If comprises of massive rocks

(Basalt, Granite) or fractured

•If depth of water level is less than

Nature of terrain 8 meters

•If the terrain is hilly, rocky or

Water table - Aquifer undulating

•If the soil is clayey

 Type of structures

Parameter Type/condition Recommended

structure

(Storage, recharge
or both?)
Nature of aquifer Impermeable, non-porous, non- Storage
homogeneous, hard rock area
Depth of More than 8 metres Recharge and
groundwater table storage
Nature of terrain Hilly, rocky or undulating Storage
Uniform or flat, alluvial and sedimentary Recharge and
storage
Nature of soil Alluvial, sandy, loamy soils, gravel, silty, Recharge and
with boulders or small stones (kankar) storage
Clayey soil Storage
Nature of geological Massive rocks(such as the Deccan trap) Storage
formation Fractured, faulted or folded rocks, or Recharge and
comprises of weathered, jointed or storage
fissured rocks
 Studying site plan/details
Catchments
Catchments, rain outlets
(in existing buildings)
Space availability
Space available for water harvesting
structures
Site plan/details

Plumbing (water and sewage) and

electrical lines at the site
Plumbing
Contour map to find out about the natural
drainage & slope

Other features like a compost pit etc.
Contour map

Other features

BUDGET AVAILABLE AND TENTATIVE COST:

Cost is main factor for rainwater-harvesting
project. A careful analysis on storage
requirements against the cost has to be carried
out prior to implementation of the project.
 Runoff effieciency and run
run--off coefficient
Annual water harvesting potential
=AXRXC
(A): Area of the catchment
(R): Average Rainfall
(C): Runoff coefficient
 Objective

The Birkha Bawari is designed as a monumental rainwater harvesting structure in

Umaid Heritage Township which is based on the concept of both ‘Kunds’ and ‘baoli’
(also referred as ‘bawari’) which were the traditional practice of rainwater harvesting in
Rajasthan and Gujarat

Implementation:
Birkha Bawari- RWH structure , is the part of Umaid Heritage- Housing complex and is
implemented as the part of township by the same developer. The structure is designed
by Architect Anu Mridul .
 Location
Location Map of Umaid Heritage in Jodhpur, Rajasthan

The site is located in the city of Jodhpur where the traditional water management system is
getting gradually destroyed due to modernisation and urbanisation.
Salient features
PARAMETERS DETAILS OF THE RWH
SYSTEM
Total catchment area 110 Acres
Green area irrigated 15 Acres
Capacity of RWH structure 17.5 million liters
(bawari – the storage tank)
Volume of rainwater harvested Approx 21.1 million liters
per annum
Cost of System ( in Rs) 80 million
Savings per annum 2.36 million per annum
Year of RWH system implemented 2010
 Conveyance system

Inlet for road side drainage

Open channels; grated underground storm
water drains connecting roof tops

•The rainwater is collected from rooftop

and road channels through storm water
drains; open channels and slots.

•The runoff from the phase-II is collected

from the storm drains and connected to
the drains in phase-I sloping towards the
RWH structure - Birkha Bawari, located in
Phase I of the complex.
 Design specifications
Parameters Specification
Length 224m
Width 10.5 m
Average Depth 11m (bgl)
Maximum Depth 18 m (bgl)
Average Water Depth 7m
Wall Thickness 0.7 m
 Operation and maintenance

Entrance for manual O&M for first sedimentation Entrance for manual O&M for second
Tank in the form of stair step sedimentation tank

The Birkha Bawari needs to be cleaned twice a year, pre and post monsoon. Around 10-
15 labors are used each time and one to two days are taken to clean the whole structure
 Benefits of the project executed

17.5 million liters of water from the Bawari is used for landscaping. The same water
load is reduced from the other water supply of the region. Birkha Bawari enables a
savings of up to Rs 10.5 lakhs annually for the residents of Umaid Heritage.

Tanks: thus by using the alternate source of water about Rs. 19.6 lakhs
are saved annually.

+ Reduced load on municipal storm water infrastructure.

+ Increase in value of Property

+ Aesthetic Value
 Benefits of the project executed

• The housing, Umaid Heritage has around 20% of green area, where the
stored water is used for watering the landscaped area of the housing
complex.
+ Recreational Activities + Knowledge Dissemination

“The housing colony promises green areas and
cleanliness with traditional water harvesting
monumental structure which clears off the
water from the roads and makes us the proud
resident of the society”‐ Kamla Jain, Resident
“The beautiful monumental Bawari is one of
the feature of the housing giving the royal
ambiance and serves the environment which
adds to the property value of the plots and
flats”- Ajay Mathur, Marketing manager and
resident
 Storage system – Materials

Brick Masonry Tanks

Ferro-Cement Tanks

PVC Tanks

Earthen Tanks
Tanks should be made of durable
and waterproof materials. The inside
of the tank must have a non-toxic
Under ground
surface particularly if the water will
be used for drinking purposes
 Four methods to determine the Size of the tank?

Based on minimum requirements

Storage = No. of water users X No. of dry days X Per capita demand

Based on availability
Tank capacity according to volume to rainwater to be collected from catchment

Based on demand
Tank capacity according to volume to water demand for scarcity/dry days

Based on water balance method

Tank capacity Arrive d from maximum water quantity collected any one time
 How to determine the Size of the tank?
Sizing the tank based Water Balance Method
• Get monthly/weekly data rainfall
• Prepare table showing pattern of inflow and outflow
• Arrive at maximum water quantity in tank at any one time
• This is the recommended tank size

Total Water Demand for 5 members in one month for drinking and
cooking for a month (30Liters/day) = 30x30 =900 Liters
Regular T
Roof top area: 60 sqm; Runoff coeffient: 0 .85 months = o
900 t
Minimum rainfall months = December and January
a
Storage required= 900+ 900 + 900 = 2700 liters l
Dec = 900
=
Final Tank Size = 3 cum 2
7
Jan = 900 0
0
 How to determine the Size of the tank?
Sizing the tank based Water Balance Method
• Volume accumulated in the tank based on monthly rainfall
• Prepare table showing pattern of inflow and outflow
• Arrive at maximum water quantity in tank at any one time
• This is the recommended tank size
Recharge well – Cross Sectional Area
 Recharge structure: Design Parameters
For designing the Recharge structure, the following parameters need to be
considered:
1.) Size of the catchment
2.) Intensity of rainfall
3.) Rate of recharge, which depends on the geology of the site

•Rainfall intensity: 90 mm
Peak rainfall intensity in 15 minutes= 0.25 mm •Catchment area= 100 sqm

For a rooftop area of 100 sq m holding capacity of the recharge well =

Catchment area X peak rainfall intensity for 15 minutes x run0ff coefficient =

Assuming a void ratio of 0.5, the required capacity of a recharge tank

= (100 x 0.025 x 0.85)/0.5

 4.25 cu. m. (Total) which can be divided into different structures of trenches,
Recharge well and Recharge Pits.
 Structure : Recharge well

Specifications:

oPit: size 1-2.5 m; side

brick lined/RCC

oPit depth: 1.5 -2m,

cement concrete base

oRecharge pipe : 2 or
more with 150-300 mm
(MS/PVC)

oPartially filled with

Used for larger catchment area layers of filtering
material
Has a settlement tank, sump filled with filtering
material and one /more recharge bore pipe oA recharge bore, 5-8 m
above water level
Constructed/lined base penetrating permeable
strata
Usually combined with settlement chamber
Recharge well
 Structure : Desilting chamber
Specifications:

oSmall tank/pit: Collects the

first runoff and allows the water
to settle down

oCan have built in filtration

system by dividing into two
chambers

•It helps to reduce the silt load on the recharge well

•It filters all suspended particles coming up with runoff

•It helps to create a buffer for temporary storage

•Eases the maintenance

 Structure : Recharge Pit
Specifications:

oPit: size 0.5-0.6m; can

be lined with brick/stone
wall

oPit depth: 0.6- 1.5 m, no

constructed base, open to
soil

oRecharge pipe: used

only when soil is not
permeable150-300 mm
(MS/PVC)
Smaller catchment areas (Thumb rule: One pit for oShallow pits with filled
23sqm) and where the soil is sandy with layers of filtering
material
Non availability of space for larger structures
such as recharge wells or recharge trenches. oLocated in low lying area,
so that water can naturally
Specially suitable for surface runoff and unpaved
flow in
areas.
Recharge Pit
 Structure : Recharge trench
Plan
Cross section
From paved ground catchments such as near
gates
Continues trench and suitable for places where
there is no drain, channels and water is
wasted, leading to water logging.
Specifications:
oPit: wide 0.5-1m; lined with
brick/stone wall
oPit depth: 1-1.5m, may or
may not have constructed
base
oRecharge pipe: used only
when soil is not
permeable150-300 mm
(MS/PVC)
oLarger trench with filled with
layers of filtering material and
recharge bores (similar to pits)
oLocated in low lying areas /
entry gates/peripheries of
ground , so that water can
naturally flow in
Structure : Recharge trench
Parameter – Site Plan

Step 1: Understand catchments & site conditions

Step 5: Divert rainwater into recharge structures - interconnect different
Step
Step4:3:Interconnect
Location
Step of existing
different
2: Identify or
outlets
newand
rain outlets collection
slope chambers
Location

Typical geological cross-section of the study area

SITE-1 Surface runoff catchment area of the RWH structure

Catchment Area
 SITE-1

Cross sectional view of the ground water View of RWH structures - deep
recharge structure trench, sand filter and recharge well
 SITE-2

Map showing the roof water harvesting catchment and structure

SITE-2

Roof water conveyance system

Structural design and layout of the roof First flush device in use in the
water harvesting system roof top RWH site on campus
 Benefits of the project executed

“The system as devised by Goa University, with or without modifications/alterations as per site
conditions would go a long way in decreasing the load on the treated water supply and improve the
water development scenario in Goa”
— Sandeep T. Nadkarni, Chief Engineer & Ex-Officio Addl Secretary to Govt. of Goa, Water
Resources Department, Goa

“As neighbor within 3 kms from the site and as expert the RWH in the Goa campus is set up as an
example for other institutes and commercial entities to show the benefits of RWH”
— Pradip Sarmokadam, Director, Lila Digital & Environmental Solutions Pvt Ltd, Goa
Operation and maintenance
Maintenance measures for the filter media
Maintenance measures for recharge structures