Rainwater harvesting system inaugurated

By Our Staff Correspondent

MYSORE, JULY 22. In what can be described as a ``right step'' in water resource management, an educational institution in Mysore has created a rainwater harvesting system to augment water supply.

St. Joseph's Convent at Stuthi Ramya on the Nanjangud Road here, today commissioned two systems to harvest and manage rainwater falling on rooftops and paved areas on its premises. The water thus collected will be utilised for drinking purposes and gardening.

The technical inputs for the two systems were provided by the Centre for Appropriate Rural Technologies (CART) at the National Institute of Engineering, and by the Forum 59 Plus, Association of Retired People, Switzerland.

The system for rainwater harvesting for drinking comprises a concrete tank with an inner diameter of six m. and a depth of 4.8 m. This tank has a capacity to store 1.35 lakh litres of water. The water is collected from a rooftop area of 208.9 sq.m. in the second floor of the building, and directed towards the tank on the groundfloor. The system was designed by Forum 59 Plus.

The second system caters to watering the garden. It consists of a dugout pit of trapezoidal shape with a plastic sheet to make it impervious to moisture. The tank has a capacity to hold 76,000 litres of water and it is expected that six lakh litres of water will be available in a year from this system. It will supplement the water required for secondary use such as gardening and maintenance of the farm. This system has been designed by CART.

The system has been described as the first example of planned institutional rainwater harvesting system in Mysore District. As a result, Stuthi Ramya will be in a position to harvest nearly 7.5 lakh litres of rainwater. This will help in conserving meagre water resources while ensuring groundwater recharging.

The Mayor, Mr. B.K.Prakash, the CEO of the Mysore Zilla Panchayat, Mr. T.K.Anil Kumar, the Bishop of Mysore, Rt. Rev. Dr. Joseph Roy, Mr. U.N.Ravikumar, Director, CART, were among those present when the two systems were commissioned.

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