A feew more links on rain water harvesting, all of them very practical to implement. http://indiatogether.com/php/search.php?words=rain+water+harvesting
I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still i can do something. I will not refuse to do something I can do . ( Helen Keller ) Suri's blog http://bhookh.com http://aidindia.org http://www.giftofvision.org http://foodindia.org.in/ http://tmad.org http://freerice.com/ http://asknri.com --- On Sat, 8/9/08, ulprasanthi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: From: ulprasanthi <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subject: [tomakeadifference] Rainwater Harvesting To: [email protected] Date: Saturday, August 9, 2008, 2:50 PM Courtesy: Suhasini of First Ray Foundation Hi All, We have been seeing how rain slammed the city since more than 24 hours leaving all low lying areas flooded. While proper precautions , measures have to be taken by Higher Management, *Lets see what any house hold person can do on their own to their house if encountering the problem of Water Entering Houses during Heavy rain.* This was practically done in one of my friend's apartment and proved to be excellent in yielding results.In that apartment , till few years ago during heavy rains, water used to enter and whole ground floor/parking used to be under water.Thanks to my friend for sharing the valuable plan. This plan reduces rain water impact on houses drastically and also increases ground water levels. Rain Water Harvesting can be effectively implemented if planned during building construction. But, this mail is mainly on the method which can be implemented in already existing buildings prone to the problem being discussed. *Here are the steps :* * 1. Dig small pits: Dig small pits (2 feet – 3 feet deep) where ever place is available on the ground. Choose place where most of the rain water can collect. Like a place on the downward slope. The place which we chose was down the slope which could collect water that flowed down stream on the road and from our apartments (water that came down the terrace, through the pipe, when it rained) * * **2. Fill with loose Gravel: Fill half of the pit with loose and granular soil. The loose and coarse soil will fast seepage of water through it.* <http://dancingwords .files.wordpress .com/2008/ 06/hands- in-soil.jpg> *3. Plant trees: Plant trees in soil. The roots will help hold the soil firmly and will save the soil from being washed away by water.* <http://dancingwords .files.wordpress .com/2008/ 06/img_0620_ 000.jpg> *4. Fill the remaining with coarse aggregate: Fill the remaining volume of the pit with coarse aggregate (kankar). The coarse aggregate filters rain water at first and allow running water to seep through it at much faster rate.* <http://dancingwords .files.wordpress .com/2008/ 06/aggregate. jpg> *5 Clean: After every rain, we should make it a point that we clean this area (top of the kankar) as there might a lot of plant waste and sedimentation brought in by the water. This will hinder the seepage of water the next time.* Hope this is of some use.
