An integrated and sustainable approach for rainwater harvesting in an urban environment

This article charts the success of the JR Nagar RWA in maintaining and propagating an integrated and sustainable approach of rainwater harvesting in their residential colony. A four-pronged methodology which gives sustainable long-term results has been attempted:

1. Establishment of Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) pits in all the apartments, whereby terrace water of these apartments directly goes underground through these pits.

2. A series of nearly 15 RWH pits alongside the roads in the colony, following the down-slope topography of the colony, whereby rainwater runoff automatically enters these pits.

3. Converting the abandoned sewage pits and abandoned shallow wells into RWH pits and directing the terrace water to these pits.

4. Raising awareness among the residents on conservation by using the relevant booklets, pamphlets, publications, and/or videos.

The efforts of the residents in successfully using rainwater for more than a decade are presented here as a success story that can be used to model other localities in a similar way.