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Various Ways Used to Do Rainwater Harvesting in Kalkaji

The effects of water scarcity are felt globally, particularly regions where water resource management is substandard. Rainwater harvesting is a longstanding tradition in India. It is also practiced in modern times in places such as Kalkaji, as a means of alleviating the current water problems. Various ways of collection and storage are used depending on the area, whether urban or rural; and the purpose for the water, whether agricultural or for the household.

  1. Rainwater Harvesting Principles

    • Rainwater harvesting involves the collection, storage and reuse of rainwater. Water as runoff is collected on either pervious surfaces such as saturated soil, or impervious surfaces such as rooftops, tiles or concrete. Water is also collected from flooded streams or pumped from groundwater. Rainwater is usually stored in locally available material such as pits, trenches or wells. Rainwater is first chlorinated before used for drinking.

    Water Situation

    • Kalkaji is located in South Delhi, India. Here efforts have been made to increase the use of rainwater. For example, in 2005 the Residents' Welfare Association together with corporate sponsors built six rainwater harvesting structures capable of storing 14,523 cubic meters (CM) of rainwater. India has approximately 4 percent of the world's fresh water and 16 percent of the world's population. Out of the 4,000 billion CM of annual rainfall, only 1,123 billion CM are collected as runoff.

    Harvesting for Agricultural Use

    • For farming purposes in Kalkaji, the technique most likely used is the farm pond, which is rainwater from surface runoff collected in small reservoirs. It is mainly used as drinking water for cattle and irrigation. There are several types of farm ponds, including surface water, creek-fed, dug-out and off-stream storage ponds. The surface water pond is most commonly used; and an embankment is needed to retain water.

    Harvesting for Household Use

    • This technique involves capturing rainwater that falls on household rooftops. A catchment system includes a gutter and filter chamber and is attached to the roof. The captured water then flows into a storage facility. Rooftop runoff would commonly be used in urban areas of Kalkaji to collect water for household use. It is simple to design, use and maintain, and is inexpensive compared to other methods.

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