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The precious resource

What would our life have been like without water? Isn’t the very thought pretty unimaginable? But the sad part is that the inevitable is already happening and that too under our noses. So, all over the planet, the scarcity of this very vital fluid is being felt with increasing ferocity. What an irony that this time too, as usual, we human beings, are the cause behind its vanishing from some of the most populated spots on earth.

What ails water?

It is overdrawing, without replenishing the same, which is one of the major causes leading to its scarcity. The ground water aquifers and other sources of water in the dry areas particularly, aren’t being cared for any more. These in the earlier days, used to be the prime sources of water for irrigation and drinking purposes. But since the days of colonial rule, this very system has been phased out.

Instead of the above, it is the central and regional government which has taken the task upon itself. With the result, the local populations involved in the maintenance of water bodies are unable to perform the all important  task. And the result is for everyone to see in the form of denial of water when it is most needed. Yet, it is a fact that in the drier regions of earth, the traditional water harvesting practices had sustained communities upon communities since ages.

Attention and awareness

It is the admirable work of the NGO’s and other environmental agencies, which has caught the attention of the masses and turned them once again towards the older practices of their forefathers. Obviously, they see a lot of merit in this.  But, unfortunately a lot of damage has already been done in the name of development and the reservoirs of water have been rendered useless. The above system had been perfected in the desert areas, where rainfall was almost absent.

Let’s have a closer look at the merits of rain water harvesting.

• 1) Needless to say, it is in the periods of extreme scarcity that the stored water comes in handy for a number of purposes.
• 2) Water stored in this way is pure and clear of pollutants which otherwise contaminate surface water sources.
• 3) The under water aquifers when purposefully built, serve a large

area and supply the needs of people living close by.

The basic design

The rain water is harvested by collecting it from a number of sources. It could be either done by collecting it from the roofs, grounds, where it is led towards the main reservoir. The layout and design of the entire system is drawn and the process proceeds accordingly.

Yet, the procedure is simple and the rain water is carried through the pipelines to the main collection point. The pipes are laid underground and the rain water gushes through them. It is notable that the desert people have sustained themselves in this way since ages. Being underground, prevents their – numerous water sources — direct access to the sun and thereby, their drying up completely.

Gearing up for the necessary

Another factor connected to this issue is the harvesting of flood water which was also given importance in the earlier days. In this way, a lot of water would end up at the place where it was needed the most. Today what is needed is a proper thinking in this direction, so that millions of cubics of water which otherwise is wasted in the form of run-offs to sea, is saved.

Undoubtedly, a mechanism can be evolved where the rain water is collected from the flooded areas. This surely has a potential to irrigate land in the drier periods and also supply people with other important needs. This is the best way to put to use water which is otherwise unfit for human consumption, but nevertheless useful in other important tasks.