Save water and safe water: Evaluation of design and storage period on water quality of rainwater harvesting system

Abstract

The present research has been aimed to assess the appropriateness of different aspects of rooftop rainwater harvesting system as an alternative of ground water installed at Chitra Topi. 25 households were purposively selected for the collection of relevant data with the help of interview schedules, focus group discussions, and water sampling. Average rooftop area of surveyed households was 100 m². Ideal storage system and proper management of surplus during peak seasons can ensure water availability throughout the year. From quality perspective, there are few issues in the physical, chemical and microbiological parameters. But by the introduction of simple components there problems can be rectified to a large extent. Based on results, it is concluded that rain water harvesting systems were shown to be a relatively low cost option for improving a households’ geographical and temporal access to a water source, increasing convenience and decreasing collection times.

Keywords: Rainwater, Harvesting, Design, Water quality