LibGuides: WET Hydrology & Hydrogeology: Rainwater Harvesting

History of Rainwater Harvesting Systems

The history of rainwater harvesting dates back thousands of years, with early examples found in ancient civilizations (6000 BCE) in India, China, Mesopotamia, and North and South America. Ancient systems evolved from simple basins to sophisticated structures like Roman aqueducts, Indian rock-cut tanks, and Greek cisterns used for drinking, washing, and agriculture. Over time, these techniques were used by Native Americans, early European settlers, and continue to be used today for sustainable water management.

Battenberg, G. E. (2009). Flowing Issues A brief history of rainwater harvesting. WC&P.
Rainwater harvesting… the ancient technique of capture, diversion and storage of rainwater. It is useful for landscape irrigation, household cleaning and bathing, drinking and livestock water, among other purposes..This process was essential for life in earlier times. Rainwater is highly valued for its inherent quality of softness, nearly neutral pH and the absence of metals. It is rapidly gaining ground as an exciting new trend on the domestic front.

Rainwater Harvesting Systems

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems are increasingly recognized in Canada as a sustainable alternative for enhancing water security at the residential level. The economic feasibility of implementing RWH systems primarily depends on initial capital costs, ongoing maintenance expenses, and specific water consumption patterns of households. The implementation of RWH systems offers a multitude of benefits, making it a compelling solution for various communities, especially in regions vulnerable to water stress.

Lepcha, R., Kumar Patra, S., Ray, R., Thapa, S., Baral, D., & Saha, S. (2024). Rooftop rainwater harvesting a solution to water scarcity: A review. Groundwater for Sustainable Development, 26. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gsd.2024.101305
Globally available freshwater resources are facing increasing challenges due to several factors like population growth, anthropogenic activities, groundwater overexploitation, chemical farming intensification, industrial disposal, and climate change. The COVID-19 pandemic, necessitating increased water use for sanitation, further exacerbates the negative impacts on water quality in various ecosystems. This review aims to assess the adverse effects of water scarcity on human livelihoods, with a focus on freshwater availability, accessibility, and its implications on food production worldwide with special reference to India origin. The study also seeks to explore rainwater harvesting as a potential solution to address water scarcity issues. A systematic search of relevant literature was conducted to identify those studies addressing the impact of water scarcity, especially in the context of COVID-19, and the effectiveness of rainwater harvesting as a sustainable solution. The selection criteria included studies on groundwater replenishment, rainwater harvesting structures, wastewater reuse, and water resources management. The findings highlight the relevance of rainwater harvesting strategies, particularly rooftop rainwater harvesting, in mitigating drinking, domestic, and irrigation water requirements in water-scarce regions. The review emphasizes the potential benefits of climate-smart technological approaches, such as groundwater replenishment during wet seasons and reuse during drought periods. The study underscores the significance of well-designed rainwater harvesting structures for capturing, storing, and delivering rainwater for people's needs. To guarantee the efficacy of these strategies, proper biological, physiochemical, and disinfection protocols are identified as prerequisites for meeting acceptable water quality standards, particularly for drinking purposes.
Freni, G., & Liuzzo, L. (2019). Effectiveness of Rainwater Harvesting Systems for Flood Reduction in Residential Urban Areas. Water (20734441), 11(7), 1389. https://doi.org/10.3390/w11071389
Rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems have many benefits being an effective alternative water supply solution, not only in arid and semi-arid regions. Also, these systems can be useful in the reduction of flood risk in urban areas. Nevertheless, most of the studies in literature focused on the potential of RWH in reducing water consumption, whereas few examples examined their efficiency in the retention of stormwater in flood-susceptible residential areas. The aim of this work was to investigate the reliability of RWH systems in terms of stormwater retention. Specifically, the performance of RWH tanks to supply water for toilet flushing, in more than 400 single-family houses in a residential area of Sicily (Southern Italy) was analyzed. The area of study was chosen due to its high susceptibility to flooding. A flushing water demand pattern was defined using water consumption data collected during a measurement campaign. The yield-after-spillage algorithm was used to simulate the daily water balance of the RWH tanks. The effect of the RWH implementation on flood volumes in the area of study was quantified using FLO-2D. Results point out that the potential of neighborhood RWH installation in the mitigation of flood risk is highly related to rainfall amount.