Project on Rainwater Harvesting by Reema Ghosh Roy

            Rain water can be stored during the monsoon and used later for household consumption and irrigation. There are several systems to harvest rainwater, ranging from simple home systems to complex industrial systems. It is already being practised in many parts of the world. Gansu district in China and parts of north-east Brazil already use rooftop rainwater harvesting on a large scale. In Rajasthan, Rajendra Singh has revived old techniques of rainwater harvesting and applied them successfully in the state. In my project, I will be looking at the following aspects of rainwater harvesting –

• A review of the different systems of rainwater harvesting being practised in different parts of the world and their relative advantages and disadvantages.
• Analysis of the factors which determine the best way to harvest rainwater and its usefulness for irrigation. Does it depend on weather, soil, crop, groundwater level, pollution, etc..?
• Cost efficiency of the different systems and exploring cheaper replications of existing systems.
• A review of the different government policies around the world and its effectiveness in encouraging rainwater harvesting. E.g. US Virgin Islands has a law which states that all new constructions must include provisions for rainwater harvesting adequate for the residents.
•  Recommendation for the type of rainwater harvest that would be most useful in Gujarat and/or different parts of India.