National Seminar

Of
Technical Experts

25th July 2008

Sustainability through Roof-water Harvesting

D.Rajasekhar, Dept.. Of DWS
Rooftop Rainwater harvesting - You just need a slope ! Collect it as you can !!

Rainfall intensity, pattern is not a matter of

concern
 Rainwater harvesting

100 mm rain falling on 1 ha of land

means 1 million litres of water.
There is no village in India which
cannot meet its drinking water
needs through its own rainwater
endowment.

Rooftop water harvesting solutions

with extensive use for 2-4 months in
year at least to ease the pressure on
ground water
• community
• Individual
• organizations COLLECTION OF RAINWATER USING POLYTHENE
SHEETS OVER THATCHED ROOFS

Rainfall in the country reportedly varies from 100mm to 11,000mm, with an

average of 1150mm. As such, even if rainfall is heavily concentrated,
technically, enough rainfall to meet drinking water needs.
 Water Availability for a given Roof Top Area and Rainfall

Rainfall (mm)
100 200 300 400 500 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 2000
Roof Harvested Water from Roof Top (cum)
Top
Area
(sq.m)
20 1.6 3.2 4.8 6.4 8 9.6 12.8 16 19.2 22.4 25.6 28.8 32
30 2.4 4.8 7.2 9.6 12 14.4 19.2 24 28.8 33.6 38.4 43.2 48
40 3.2 6.4 9.6 12.8 16 19.2 25.6 32 38.4 44.8 51.2 57.6 64
50 4 8 12 16 20 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80
60 4.8 9.6 14.4 19.2 24 28.8 38.4 48 57.6 67.2 76.8 86.4 96
70 5.6 11.2 16.8 22.4 28 33.6 44.8 56 67.2 78.4 89.6 100.8 112
80 6.4 12.8 19.2 25.6 32 38.4 51.2 64 76.8 89.6 102.4 115.2 128
90 7.2 14.4 21.6 28.8 36 43.2 57.6 72 86.4 100.8 115.2 129.6 144
100 8 16 24 32 40 48 64 80 96 112 128 144 160
150 12 24 36 48 60 72 96 120 144 168 192 216 240
200 16 32 48 64 80 96 128 160 192 224 256 288 320
250 20 40 60 80 100 120 160 200 240 280 320 360 400
300 24 48 72 96 120 144 192 240 288 336 384 432 480
400 32 34 96 128 160 192 256 320 384 448 512 576 640
500 40 80 120 160 200 240 320 400 480 560 640 720 800
1000 80 160 240 320 400 480 640 800 960 1120 1280 1440 1600
Components of roof-water harvesting system
 Diameter of Gutter and Width of G.I. Sheet - 1

Rainfall 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 60 70 80 90 100
Intensity
(I) (in mm/hr)
Roof Top Area Diameter (D) of Channel and Width (W) of G.I. Sheet (in mm)
(A) (sq.m)
D 20 23 26 28 30 32 33 35 36 39 41 43 45 47
10 W 51 56 60 64 67 70 72 74 77 81 84 88 91 93
D 26 30 33 36 39 41 43 45 47 50 53 56 58 61
20 W 60 67 72 77 81 84 88 91 93 99 103 108 112 115
D 30 35 39 42 45 48 50 52 54 58 62 65 68 71
30 W 67 74 81 86 91 95 99 102 106 112 117 122 127 131
D 33 39 43 47 50 53 56 58 61 65 69 72 76 79
40 W 72 81 88 93 99 103 108 112 115 122 128 134 139 144
D 36 42 47 51 54 58 61 63 66 71 75 79 82 86
50 W 77 86 93 100 106 111 115 120 124 131 138 144 149 154
D 39 45 50 54 58 62 65 68 71 76 80 84 88 92
60 W 81 91 99 106 112 117 122 127 131 139 146 152 158 164
D 41 48 53 58 62 65 69 72 75 80 85 89 93 97
70 W 84 95 103 111 117 123 128 133 138 146 153 160 167 172
D 43 50 56 61 65 69 72 76 79 84 89 94 98 102
80 W 88 99 108 115 122 128 134 139 144 152 160 167 174 180
D 45 52 58 63 68 72 76 79 82 88 93 98 102 107
90 W 91 102 112 120 127 133 139 144 149 158 167 174 181 188
Calculation for Diameter of gutter and width of GI sheet - 2
Rainfall 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 60 70 80 90 100
Intensity
(I) (in mm/hr)
Roof Top Area Diameter (D) of Channel and Width (W) of G.I. Sheet (in mm)
(A) (sq.m)
D 47 54 61 66 71 75 79 82 86 92 97 102 107 111
100 W 93 106 115 124 131 138 144 149 154 164 172 180 188 194
D 54 63 71 77 82 87 92 96 100 107 113 119 124 129
150 W 106 120 131 141 149 157 164 170 176 188 197 207 215 223
D 61 71 79 86 92 97 102 107 111 119 126 132 138 144
200 W 115 131 144 154 164 172 180 188 194 207 218 228 237 246
D 66 77 86 93 100 105 111 116 121 129 137 144 150 156
250 W 124 141 154 166 176 186 194 202 209 223 235 246 256 266
D 71 82 92 100 107 113 119 124 129 138 146 154 161 167
300 W 131 149 164 176 188 197 207 215 223 237 250 262 273 283
D 79 92 102 111 119 126 132 138 144 154 163 172 179 186
400 W 144 164 180 194 207 218 228 237 246 262 276 290 302 313
D 86 100 111 121 129 137 144 150 156 167 177 186 195 203
500 W 154 176 194 209 223 235 246 256 266 283 299 313 326 339
D 111 129 144 156 167 177 186 195 203 217 230 242 253 263
1000 W 194 223 246 266 283 299 313 326 339 361 381 400 417 433
D 144 167 186 203 217 230 242 253 263 282 298 314 328 341
2000 W 246 283 313 339 361 381 400 417 433 462 489 513 535 556
D 167 195 217 236 253 268 282 294 306 328 347 365 382 397
 Design of Size of Storage Tank
(Depth of live storage above the outlet pipe = 1.4 m)
Tank Capacity

Diameter of Tank (in m)

1.6 1.21
2.4 1.48
3.2 1.71
4 1.91
4.8 2.09
5.6 2.26
6.4 2.41
7.2 2.56
8 2.7
9.6 2.95
11.2 3.19
12 3.3
12.8 3.41
14.4 3.62
16 3.81
16.8 3.91
19.2 4.18
20 4.26
 Gutter

Filter Chamber

Handpump

Collection Chamber
Air Vent

1,00,000 lakh litre underground tank for storing rainwater in schools

Cost = Approx. Rs 2.5 lakh
Roof-top rainwater harvesting systems for schools & hostels
Roof-top rainwater harvesting systems for schools and Anganwadis
Installation of RWH structures -
Achievement (Rural Tamil Nadu
alone)
Total No of Completed as on date
Buildings of the Ordinance 3.0%
66,67,178

• Private Buildings :
Completed after issue 6578639
of the Ordinance
97.0% • Commercial Buildings :
75718

• Private Institutions :
12821
 Partially elevated storage tank for rainwater
Capacity = 80,000 Litres, Cost = Approx. 1.8 lakh
Roof-top Rain water harvesting in Schools
Roof-water collection in IAY house
Traditional ways of roof-water collection
 Direct collection of rainwater

Asbestos sheets Gunny bags

Cost = Rs 250 Cost = Rs 150
Dimension and Other Details for Reinforcement Details for Wall &
10,000 lit. Capacity Ferro-cement Base of 10,000 lit. Capacity Ferro-
Tanks. cement Tank.
Details of Roof for 10,000 lit. Capital cost = Rs 2 to 2.50 per litre
Ferro-cement tank of storage capacity
Low cost roof-water harvesting
1,00,000
1,00,000litrs
litrsCapacity
CapacityRain
RainWater
WaterHarvesting
HarvestingSystem
System
Cost = Rs 2.5 lakh
Cost = Rs 2.5 lakh
2,00,000
2,00,000litrs
litrsCapacity
CapacityRain
RainWater
WaterHarvesting
HarvestingSystem
System
Cost = Approx. Rs 4 lakh
Cost = Approx. Rs 4 lakh
50,000
50,000litrs
litrsCapacity
CapacityRain
RainWater
WaterHarvesting
HarvestingSystem
Systemfitted
fittedwith
with
mini hand pump to reduce wastage of water
mini hand pump to reduce wastage of water
Cost = Rs 1.2 lakh approx.
10,000
10,000litrs
litrsCapacity
CapacityRain
RainWater
Water
Harvesting System with ground
Harvesting System with ground
water
waterrecharge
rechargearrangement
arrangement
Cost
Cost = Rs 25,000approx.
= Rs 25,000 approx.
 OBJECTIVES

•Free Drinking Water

•Time saved is utilized for other domestic income
generation activities by women; like rearing milch
animals, poultry, kitchen gardens, tailoring etc…
• Pure Drinking water
• Physical effort taken by women to procure drinking
water is reduced thereby increasing their health.
Kerala’s biggest RWH unit at Maloth Kasba HSS,
Kasaragod – Capacity : 5.5 lakh litres
Effectiveness of Technology is Cost Reduction

Ferrocement Tanks (Properly Designed and Cast) – Life Designed 40 years

Shapes Possible Spherical - Rectangular
New Building Materials & Construction World – A leading civil engg. Journal Published Monthly
 Tamil Nadu
Making Rain water harvesting compulsory

On-line Calculator for RWH Structure

Select your District* is average rainfall

Type of Building*

Investment for RWH

setup Rs.
Roof Top Area* (Sq.m)

Number of Persons*

Actual Requirement Litres

per Day
Quantity can be Litres
Collected
Actual Requirement Litres
per year
Number of Days the Days
Water could be used

Cost of Rain water Rs.

saved

[Cost of 5000 litres is Rs.500(Market Price)]

 Karnataka – RWH in Fluoride affected areas

A combination of Individual Rooftop

Rainwater Harvesting structures and
ground water recharge structures have
been addressed to tackle fluoride
problems in Kolar, Gadag and Tumkur
district. Services of M/s BAIF is taken
in implementation.
Contribution by APL 30 % and BPL
20%
Impact: Improved clean water
availability, programme wise better
acceptance, expecting to bring down
cases of dental fluorosis
Roof Top Rain Harvesting Structure
Andhra Pradesh
Roof top rain water harvesting system
In Rural schools of Bihar
Details of Roof for 10,000 lit. F.C.
Tank.
Maldives – a living example on
Universal roof-water harevsting
15 Year old systems are still
functioning effectively
Household Piped water supply in Maldives

First flush system Priority for drinking purposes

Piped water supply Using rainwater for washing

Universal coverage of both Rural and
Urban with roof-top RWH
Ergonomically designed Roof-top
rain-water harvesting structures
 Kerala
Back-washing of Contaminated wells with roof-top rainwater
harvesting and phyto-remediation of ponds reduced contamination
levels

The well of Ms Chinnamma Chacko, unused for

the last thirty years turns clear after
backwashing

Phyto-remediation for treatment

of surface water bodies and
dilution using roof-top rainwater
harvesting
You just need the
attitude to collect
rainwater !