Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is a simple method by which rainfall is collected for future usage. The collected rainwater may be stored, utilised in different ways or directly used for recharge purposes. With depleting groundwater levels and fluctuating climate conditions, RWH can go a long way to help mitigate these effects. Capturing the rainwater can help recharge local aquifers, reduce urban flooding and most importantly ensure water availability in water-scarce zones. Though the term seems to have picked up greater visibility in the last few years, it was, and is even today, a traditional practice followed in rural India. Some ancient rainwater harvesting methods followed in India include madakas, ahar pynes, surangas, taankas and many more.

This water conservation method can be easily practiced in individual homes, apartments, parks, offices and temples too, across the world. Farmers have recharged their dry borewells, created water banks in drought areas, greened their farms, increased sustainability of their water resources and even created a river. Technical know how for the rooftop RWH with direct storage can be availed for better implementation. RWH An effective method in water scarce times, it is also an easily doable practice. Practical advice is available in books written by Indukanth Ragade & Shree Padre, talks by Anupam Mishra and other easy to follow fun ways

Read our FAQ on Rainwater Harvesting and have many basic questions answered.

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Featured Articles
September 21, 2022 The unique design and functioning of the Chakla bavdi in Chanderi Madhya Pradesh is another example of the water wisdom of our ancestors, which needs to be conserved and passed on to the future generations.
Chakla Bavdi at Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh (Image Source: Shirole, S. 2022. Architectural eloquence: Water harvesting structure in Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh (India). Ancient Asia, 13: 9, pp. 1–13)
July 14, 2022 The river is faced with the dual problem of flood plain encroachment and growing levels of water pollution
Illegal transverse check dams (Badhals) built on Ichamati near a village in Basirhat (Image: Prithviraj Nath @ TheWaterChronicles)
July 11, 2022 The Chauka system of Rajasthan can not only provide a sustainable way to manage water resources in water stressed regions, but also support livelihoods through development of pastures.
Can greening of barren lands happen? (Image Source: India Water Portal Flickr photos)
March 21, 2022 Recognizing women's accumulated knowledge and adaptive capacities in springshed management
Van Panchayat Samiti discussing the matters related to forest (Image: Varun Raja)
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Charkhari talab in Bundelkhand (Image: IWP Flickr)
Harvest of rain - A CSE film
This video by the Centre for Science and Environment is dedicated to India's traditional water harvesting systems and practices. Posted on 28 Nov, 2011 04:13 PM

The camera wanders through the states of Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra and records the profound traditional science of the people. “Harvest of Rain” analyses a wide variety of water harvesting systems as a function of differing ecological terrains

Gravity based spring water supply systems in Andhra Pradesh: Lessons and steps towards the future
Current studies and activities indicate that indigenous knowledge is appropriate for local situations and that it is efficient and sustainable to springboard from such knowledge and practices. Posted on 22 Nov, 2011 07:35 AM

Guest post by – Rahul Bakare, Arghyam

 This article details an example where local knowledge has been used to develop access to safe water in the tribal areas of the Eastern Ghats in Andhra Pradesh

Workshop on rainwater harvesting in Meerut’ - Janhit Foundation's e-newsletter of March 2011
The Janhit Foundation's newsletter for October 2011 focuses on the following: Posted on 11 Nov, 2011 09:29 PM

Content courtesy: Janhit Foundation

Rainwater Harvesting Users and Trainers' Manual by the KUIDFC
A manual for rainwater harvesting users’ by the Government of Karnataka. Posted on 10 Nov, 2011 12:03 PM

Adequate potable water supply to the community has become an uphill task to the administration both in rural and urban areas. This is because of dwindling groundwater sources, over-extraction, pollution of surface water bodies, negligence of fresh water bodies, poor water management, etc.

Advancing development - Towards sustainable livelihoods - Madurai Symposium - DHAN Foundation - September 14-18 ( 2011)
The symposium highlights the importance of rainwater harvesting in the context of climate change. Posted on 04 Nov, 2011 08:47 AM

The Madurai Symposium organised by the

Decentralised treatment and recycling of domestic wastewater - An integrated approach to water management - A pilot project - CPCB (2008)
The Sangamam housing project at Auroville aims to minimize its ecological footprint by using a range of measures. Posted on 27 Oct, 2011 10:32 AM

This report by the Central Pollution and Control Board (CPCB) describes the various intervention measures chosen to reduce the ecological footprint of the Sangamam housing project at Auroville. These measures include water harvesting, recycling and waste management. 

Jalanidhi-2 programme of the Kerala Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency
A report on environmental assessment and environmental management framework - Posted on 06 Oct, 2011 03:20 PM

This report deals with environmental assessment and environmental management framework for the World Bank supported Jalanidhi-2 programme of the Kerala Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (KRWSA), an important player in rural water supply and sanitation sector of the state.

Water for Indian cities - Government practices and policy concerns - Issue Brief - Observer Research Foundation
This brief from the Observer Research Foundation highlights the issues involved in improving urban water supply in India. Posted on 24 Sep, 2011 04:50 PM

The urban expansion in India has not been met by a similar expansion in infrastructure and basic services. This has severely affected the quality of urban life and economic growth.

Orissa Community Tank Management Project – A paper by World Bank on proposed project restructuring
The document confirms that there is significant room for increase in crop and livestock productivity and can be addressed with the activities to be undertaken by the project. Posted on 03 Sep, 2011 07:39 PM

This document provides an appraisal of the World Bank financed Orissa Community Tank Management Project. The project on tank rehabilitation in the state was focused on institutional strengthening, agricultural livelihood services and some irrigation improvements in the project area.

Social equity and integrated water resources management – A background paper by Global Water Partnership
This background paper by Humberto Peña, Global Water Partnership deals with what social equity means in the context of water management. Posted on 31 Aug, 2011 04:10 PM

 It provides an analytical framework that policy makers and water professionals can use to bring greater clarity to the issue of social equity in their local context.

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