Rainwater: Alternative Source for Recreation and Sanitation
CHAPTER 1
PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING
Introduction
Water, although one of the most fundamental human needs, is often not readily available for the world’s poor. To address this need, many water-supply and distribution technologies have been successfully implemented to provide clean, reliable water in close proximity to its end users. Rainwater harvesting is one of these options available for consumers. It has the potential to provide water for a variety of purposes. Rainwater harvesting is one of the most basic forms of water collection and has been used for millennia around the world as a means of collecting and storing water for future use (UN-HABITAT).
Rainwater harvesting is just one of many options for water supply in areas where water is scarce. It is a valuable resource, which should be exploited in the most efficient way to protect the people's health and livelihood. It has several distinct benefits over other water supply options, yet there are also major drawbacks. Unlike municipal water, rainwater is typically readily available and free to use. Construction logistics and materials are less than those needed for a groundwater well or public distribution network, although the capacity of the system is limited by regional rainfall. Installation costs can be high, often limiting the system size, but they are typically cheaper than installing piped networks.
Furthermore, a systematic collection and recharging of ground water is a recent development and is gaining importance as one of the most feasible and easy to implement remedy to restore the hydrological imbalance and prevent a crisis.
Meanwhile, a rainwater tank is a water tank used to collect and store rain water runoff, typically from rooftops via rain gutters (Wikipedia). It is designed in order to sustain the water supply for a maximum consumption as well as for future demands at low-cost. The water level in a storage tank should be sized so the tank will routinely fill and drain during the
PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING
Introduction
Water, although one of the most fundamental human needs, is often not readily available for the world’s poor. To address this need, many water-supply and distribution technologies have been successfully implemented to provide clean, reliable water in close proximity to its end users. Rainwater harvesting is one of these options available for consumers. It has the potential to provide water for a variety of purposes. Rainwater harvesting is one of the most basic forms of water collection and has been used for millennia around the world as a means of collecting and storing water for future use (UN-HABITAT).
Rainwater harvesting is just one of many options for water supply in areas where water is scarce. It is a valuable resource, which should be exploited in the most efficient way to protect the people's health and livelihood. It has several distinct benefits over other water supply options, yet there are also major drawbacks. Unlike municipal water, rainwater is typically readily available and free to use. Construction logistics and materials are less than those needed for a groundwater well or public distribution network, although the capacity of the system is limited by regional rainfall. Installation costs can be high, often limiting the system size, but they are typically cheaper than installing piped networks.
Furthermore, a systematic collection and recharging of ground water is a recent development and is gaining importance as one of the most feasible and easy to implement remedy to restore the hydrological imbalance and prevent a crisis.
Meanwhile, a rainwater tank is a water tank used to collect and store rain water runoff, typically from rooftops via rain gutters (Wikipedia). It is designed in order to sustain the water supply for a maximum consumption as well as for future demands at low-cost. The water level in a storage tank should be sized so the tank will routinely fill and drain during the