Deadline in Bangalore!

The November 1 ultimatum to start on mandatory rain water harvesting for new buildings by the Bangalore government along with the recent amendment of the BWSSB Act that’s made rain water harvesting mandatory for new and bigger old buildings could bring about a change. Every owner or occupier who has constructed a building on a 2,400 sqft site and above for residential / non-residential/ government / commercial and any other purposes has to provide rain water harvesting structures within nine months from date of commencement of the amendment Act 2009. The area specified for new buildings is 1,200 sqft.

Provided, citizens understand the law, get the system installed and also trained in handling it. Which is where Raindrops comes in. Though the outlines and specifications of the structure is available in the revised law currently posted on the BWSSB website, there is a need for a professional service that provides trained plumbers and masons and technical know-how to execute your personalized rainwater harvesting solution.

Note: If you don’t have an RWH unit, your water and sanitary connections could be cut. However, there are rewards for installing one. After an assessment by the BWSSB in January 2010, five houses will be selected and rewarded Rs 10,000 each.

Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater can be harvested for storing rainwater for ready use in containers above or below ground or to charge the soil for withdrawal later (groundwater recharging).

The Water Harvesting Manual For Urban Areas says rainwater harvesting can be harvested from the following surfaces:

• Rooftops: If buildings with impervious roofs are already in place, the catchment area is effectively available free of charge and they provide a supply at the point of consumption.
• Paved and unpaved areas i.e., landscapes, open fields, parks, stormwater drains, roads and pavements and other open areas can be effectively used to harvest the runoff. The main advantage in using ground as collecting surface is that water can be collected from a larger area. This is particularly advantageous in areas of low rainfall.
• Waterbodies: The potential of lakes, tanks and ponds to store rainwater is immense. The harvested rainwater can not only be used to meet water requirements of the city, it also recharges groundwater aquifers.
• Stormwater drains: Most of the residential colonies have proper network of stormwater drains. If maintained neatly, these offer a simple and cost effective means for harvesting rainwater.

The decision on whether to store or recharge water depends on the rainfall pattern and the potential to do so, in a given area with the sub-surface geology playing an important role in making this decision.