India

The Preliminary Consolidated Report on the Effect of Climate Change on Water Resources, prepared by the Central Water Commission and the National Institute of Hydrology, under the guidance of the Ministry of Water Resources in 2008, is one of the first official reports made available by the Government of India, of a reliable quantitative assessment based on field data, of the likely effect of climate change on the availability of water resources, i.e. on the glaciers and snow melt, on rainfall and their effect on run off into the river system and their contribution to ground water. In the Report, an attempt has been made to give a brief account of the available studies on possible impacts of climate change on India's water resources, change in India's water needs, climate of India, river basins of the country, present water resources and future demand and supply, impacts of projected climate change and variability, and associated hydrological events and likely vulnerability of regional water resources to climate change. Identification of key risks, research needs and prioritisation of mitigation strategies has also been discussed. Access the report here: Preliminary Consolidated Report on the Effect of Climate Change on Water Resources

Capture the children's attention. Start your Geography or Environment Education class with a water story or some trivia.

Indian rivers

Rainwater is considered a very pure form of water but it dissolves a number of impurities as it courses down the atmosphere and along catchments.  Most contamination of rainwater occurs after contact with the catchment surface (roof or ground) and during subsequent delivery and storage.

Delivery pipelines convey water from the storage tank to points of use. Ultra violet treated PVC pipes or GI pipes are normally used. The water can either be pumped or flow by gravity depending on where the tank and end-use points are situated.

Installation of delivery pipelines

Storage tanks are the most expensive part of a rainwater harvesting systems, so due consideration must be given to its design and construction. The size of the storage tank depends on the amount of rainfall that can be harvested, the demand, aesthetics and budget.

It is preferable to filter the rainwater before storing it. If leaves and other organic material enter the storage tank, they decompose and support bacterial growth in the tank. Dirt and other debris, if not filtered out, can cause blocks in the plumbing system when the stored rainwater is used.

Gutters are pipes around the edge of the roof (usually sloped roofs) that collect and transport rainwater from the roof. Downtake pipes are cylindrical pipes that transport the water down, directly from the roof or from the gutters, until the storage tank.

Catchment types
Roof catchments: The rooftop is usually the most common catchment surface and can be flat or sloping.

Catch me when you can: A power point presentation that runs you through the 'Why' and 'How' of rainwater harvesting in schools.

Mark Charmer from Akvo writes about his meeting with C. Sharada Prasad (aka "CSP"), one of the team at India Water Portal.