RAIN WATER HARVESTING
Rain is the first variety of water in hydrological cycle. Consequently, it is a principlal source of water to us. Good hygienic water considered the most important thing in ensuring good health in a community. Rain water harvesting is an action of direct collection of rainwater. It means capturing rain where it falls or capturing the run off in our own village or town. In addition, it is an action of talking measures to keep water hygienic by not allowing pollution activities to talk place in the catchments.
Today water harvesting is undertaken through variety of ways. Capturing run off from rooftops, capturing run off from local catchments, capturing seasonal floodwater from local stream, conserving water through watershed management, etc are some of them. There are principally two techniques used for this. One is storage of rain water on the surface for upcoming use and the other is recharging to the ground water. Actually, the first method is a traditional one .The structures used in this method was tanks, ponds, weirs, check dams etc. Nevertheless, the second method is now a perception, in which the structures used largely are pits, trenches, dug wells , hand pumps, ace pits , recharge wells, later also hafts with bore wells ,etc.
Water harvesting can serve diverse purposes. It provides water for drinking and irrigation. It increases ground water recharge. It reduces storm water discharge, urban floods and overloading of sewage treatment plants. Further, it reduces seawater way-in coastal areas.