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Rainwater harvesting is good, but groundwater recharge is better.

Updated: Jul 26, 2023

Time of India TNN | Jul 19, 2023, 12.34 PM IST


We’ve come to rely on rainwater harvesting as an important measure to secure some supply during the lean months. But there are a few points we need to bear in mind with rainwater harvesting, which is essentially the reuse of water we get during the monsoon.

Harvesting needs elaborate technical systems to collect, filter, lift, and distribute. And there’s a key caveat: It’s beneficial for small-scale use and will help housing societies save on a few tankers. Ideally, it’s not (and shouldn’t be) a long-term fix.


Civic workers in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, set up groundwater recharge structures at spots along roads where water collects.
Civic workers in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, set up groundwater recharge structures at spots along roads where water collects.
Civic workers in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, set up groundwater recharge structures at spots along roads where water collects.

On the other hand, we continue to lose a large amount of rainfall that simply vanishes into our drains, which happens due to high levels of construction and concreting of roads. It’s this problem that we need to address.


Our government agencies could frame rules to make groundwater recharging compulsory near large infrastructure. Imagine a specific number of pits for every few kilometers of concrete road. Such roads have come up all over Pune. If properly placed, these pits could collect the rainwater these roads reject. Our highways and many city stretches could even become “recharge roads”.


Years ago, in an issue of Popular Mechanics, I read about drums drilled with many holes, filled with boulders that are then buried in the ground. These drums would let water seep deeper into the ground. Similar techniques could be used along our concrete roads. Of course, technology has progressed since that issue of Popular Mechanics, but the idea remains pits are placed at regular intervals to ensure the city’s water table rises.


The water table is what we need to put our full focus on. It’s the only thing that matters in a city that’s growing at a worrying rate, where tanker bills are now a big part of monthly maintenance.


— The writer is a retired associate professor and HoD of geography department at the National Defence Academy


The Original Post can be found on

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/pune/rainwater-harvesting-is-good-but-groundwater-recharge-is-better/articleshow/101923986.cms

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