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Rain water harvesting (RWH) is a technique of collection and storage of rainwater into natural reservoirs or tanks, or

the infiltration of surface water into subsurface aquifers (before it is lost as surface runoff). One method of rainwater
harvesting is rooftop harvesting. With rooftop harvesting, most any surface — tiles, metal sheets, plastics, but not
grass or palm leaf — can be used to intercept the flow of rainwater and provide a household with high-quality drinking
water and year-round storage. Other uses include water for gardens, livestock, and irrigation, etc.

The reasons for using rainwater harvesting systems answer three questions:
What: Rainwater harvesting will improve water supply, food production, and ultimately food security.
Who: Water insecure households or individuals in rural areas will benefit the most from rainwater harvesting
systems.

How: Since rainwater harvesting leads to water supply which leads to food security, this will greatly contribute to
income generation.

Example rainwater harvesting in India[edit]

Vismaya rainwater harvesting

Tamil Nadu is the first Indian state to make rainwater harvesting mandatory. On 30 May 2014, the state government
announced that it will set up 50,000 rainwater harvesting structures at various parts of the capital city of Chennai. [1]
Around 4,000 temples in Tamil Nadu state traditionally had water tanks that were used for various rituals. The tanks
also served as natural aquifers and helped recharge groundwater. Over the years, however, many of these tanks
have gone out of use. Overflowing mounds of silt and garbage have replaced the water in them.
Now, following sustained campaigns by voluntary organisations and departments in charge of water distribution and
use, authorities in Chennai have decided to restore around 40 major temple tanks in the city. The aim is to convert
the tanks into catchments for rainwater harvesting. [2]

CURRENT USE:

 In China, Argentina, and Brazil, rooftop rainwater harvesting is being practised for providing drinking water,
domestic water, water for livestock, water for small irrigation, and a way to replenish groundwater
levels. Gansu province in China and semiarid northeast Brazil have the largest rooftop rainwater harvesting
projects going on.
 Thailand has the largest fraction of the population in the rural area relying on rainwater harvesting (currently
around 40%).[21] Rainwater harvesting was promoted heavily by the government in the 1980s. In the 1990s, after
government funding for the collection tanks ran out, the private sector stepped in and provided several million
tanks to private households, many of which continue to be used. [22] This is one of the largest examples of self-
supply of water worldwide.
 In Bermuda, the law requires all new construction to include rainwater harvesting adequate for the residents. [23]
 The U.S. Virgin Islands has a similar law.
 In Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, the houses of the Diola-people are frequently equipped with homebrew rainwater
harvesters made from local, organic materials.
 In the Irrawaddy Delta of Myanmar, the groundwater is saline and communities rely on mud-lined rainwater
ponds to meet their drinking water needs throughout the dry season. Some of these ponds are centuries old and
are treated with great reverence and respect.
 In the United States, until 2009 in Colorado, water rights laws almost completely restricted rainwater harvesting;
a property owner who captured rainwater was deemed to be stealing it from those who have rights to take
water from the watershed. Now, residential well owners who meet certain criteria may obtain a permit to install a
rooftop precipitation collection system (SB 09-080).[24] Up to 10 large scale pilot studies may also be permitted
(HB 09-1129).[25] The main factor in persuading the Colorado Legislature to change the law was a 2007 study
that found that in an average year, 97% of the precipitation that fell in Douglas County, in the southern suburbs
of Denver, never reached a stream—it was used by plants or evaporated on the ground. In Colorado, one cannot
even drill a water well on properties less than 35 acres (14 ha). Rainwater catchment is mandatory for new
dwellings in Santa Fe, New Mexico.[26] Texas offers a sales tax exemption on the purchase of rainwater
harvesting equipment. Both Texas[27] and Ohio allow the practice even for potable purposes. Oklahoma passed
the Water for 2060 Act in 2012, to promote pilot projects for rainwater and graywater use among other water-
saving techniques.[28]
 In Beijing, some housing societies are now adding rainwater in their main water sources after proper treatment.
 In Ireland, Professor Micheal Mcginley established a project to design a rainwater harvesting prototype in the
biosystems design challenge module at University College Dublin
INDIA:

 Pan India Potential: No authenticated potential of rainwater harvesting has been assessed in India.
 In Andhra Pradesh, the ground water table is generally below 7 meters from the ground level. By various
methods of rainwater harvesting, if the ground water table is raised by 4 meters by using the adequate rainfall
available during the monsoon season, crops can be grown through out the year using the ground water without
facing water shortage.
 Tamil Nadu was the first state to make rainwater harvesting compulsory for every building to avoid groundwater
depletion. The scheme was launched in 2001 and has been implemented in all rural areas of Tamil Nadu.
Posters all over Tamil Nadu including rural areas create awareness about harvesting rainwater TN Govt site. It
gave excellent results within five years, and slowly every state took it as a role model. Since its
implementation, Chennai had a 50% rise in water level in five years and the water quality significantly
improved.[29]
 Karnataka: In Bangalore, adoption of rainwater harvesting is mandatory for every owner or the occupier of a
building having the site area measuring 60 ft (18.3 m) X 40 ft (12.2 m) and above and for newly constructed
building measuring 30 ft (9.1 m) X 40 ft (12.2 m) and above dimensions. In this regard, Bangalore Water Supply
and Sewerage Board has initiated and constructed “Rain Water Harvesting Theme Park” in the name of Sir M.
Visvesvaraya in 1.2 acres (4,900 m2) of land situated at Jayanagar, Bangalore. In this park, 26 different type of
rainwater harvesting models are demonstrated along with the water conservation tips. The auditorium on the first
floor is set up with a "green" air conditioning system and will be used to arrange the meeting and showing of a
video clip about the rainwater harvesting to students and general public. [30] An attempt has been made at the
Department of Chemical Engineering, IISc, Bangalore to harvest rainwater using upper surface of a solar still,
which was used for water distillation[31]
 In Rajasthan, rainwater harvesting has traditionally been practised by the people of the Thar Desert. Many
ancient water harvesting systems in Rajasthan have now been revived.[32] Water harvesting systems are widely
used in other areas of Rajasthan, as well, for example the chauka system from the Jaipur district.[33]
 Kerala:
 Maharashtra: At present, in Pune, rainwater harvesting is compulsory for any new housing society to be
registered.
 In Mumbai, Maharashtra, rainwater harvesting is being considered as a good solution to solve the water crisis.
The Mumbai City council is planning to make rainwater harvesting mandatory for large societies.

STREEET LIGHT ,MANAGEMEENT


Pilot project for installation of LED street lights and tube lights on the campus has been completed by the Centre. The full
scale project of retrofitting of lights is expected to reduce on the campus approx. 60kW load and avoid 200 MWh electricity
consumption on annual basis

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