|
Roofwater harvesting
Welcome to the GARNET research network for the theme 'Rainwater Harvesting' (henceforth RWH).
RWH has come to mean the control or utilisation of rainwater close to the point rain reaches the earth. Its practice effectively divides into domestic RWH - which is the concern of this network - and RWH for agriculture, erosion control, flood control and aquifer replenishment which this network and web page does not cover. (See however the contact points of the International Rainwater Collection Systems Association IRCSA.)
Domestic RWH, normally roofwater harvesting, has a long history having been used in the Middle East for about 3000 years and in other parts of Asia for at least 2000 years. In the 20th century it became largely restricted to a few specialised applications, for example water supply for small islands or for certain semi-arid rural areas. However since 1985 there has been a rapid growth in interest in domestic RWH, the formation of national RWH associations in some countries in every continent and an expansion in RWH research - the focus of this GARNET group and this web page.
RWH research can divided into 5 distinct topics (although of course there is some overlap). These are:
- Economics and Technology -
research and design to assess or improve the cost-effectiveness of RWH for example by:
|
~..
|
economically-optimal sizing of system components;
|
|
.
|
|
~..
|
minimising the quantity or quality of materials needed to create any given volume of water storage;
|
|
.
|
|
~..
|
developing new designs for tanks, guttering and catchment; and
|
|
.
|
|
~..
|
developing measuring instruments to assist RWH system management.
|
- Health and Water Quality -
research to measure or improve the impact of RWH on health, especially by:
|
~..
|
understanding the likely causes of low RW quality (physical, chemical, biological) and assessing its impact on health;
|
|
.
|
|
~..
|
analysing actual RW quality as a function of user behaviour, system design and environmental conditions;
|
|
.
|
|
~..
|
analysing the technical and economic performance of existing devices and procedures to improve RW quality (e.g. filters, diverters, sterilisers, tank rotation);
|
|
.
|
|
~..
|
devising new techniques for reducing turbidity, reducing pathogens and improving taste;
|
|
.
|
|
~..
|
researching the links between RWH and the prevalence of disease vectors like mosquitoes and identifying cost-effective and sustainable vector control measures; and
|
|
.
|
|
~..
|
assessing the health benefits of reducing the carrying of domestic water from distant point sources.
|
- RWH Management and Water Security -
measuring, modelling or innovating:
|
~..
|
strategies for managing RWH systems at household and small-community scales;
|
|
.
|
|
~..
|
household water security when using total or partial RWH;
|
|
.
|
|
~..
|
community water security where RWH is one of the water sources in use and the role of RWH in long-term regional water security; and
|
|
.
|
|
~..
|
availability of RWH to the urban or rural poor in different climates and economies.
|
- Water Policies, Regulations and Attitudes -
as they affect uptake of RWH, including assessment of:
|
~..
|
current policies, priorities, rules and concerns of key stakeholders;
|
|
.
|
|
~..
|
RWH popularisation and dissemination techniques; and
|
|
.
|
|
~..
|
the optimal role of RWH alongside other water supplies in different economies.
|
- History of RWH -
up to say 1950, including:
|
~..
|
loss of community water autonomy in recent decades; and
|
|
.
|
|
~..
|
early history of RWH and human settlement.
|
For further information contact:
Brett Martinson,
Development Technology Unit,
School of Engineering,
University of Warwick,
Coventry,
CV4 7AL,
United Kingdom.
Tel: +44 2476 522339
Fax: +44 2476 418922
Email: dbm@eng.warwick.ac.uk
Internet: http://www.eng.warwick.ac.uk/dtu/
Resources
Warwick roofwater harvesting pages
UNEP Sourcebook of Alternative Technologies for Freshwater Augmentation
Texas Rainwater Harvesting Guide
Guidance on the use of rainwater tanks (Australia)
International Rainwater Catchment Systems Association
Proceedings of International Conferences on Rainwater Catchment Systems
Ajit Foundation's SIM TANKA
Centre for Science and Environment rainwater harvesting page
Roofwater harvesting discussion forum
Updated 31/01/03
Maintained by f.o.odhiambo@lboro.ac.uk and j.fisher1@lboro.ac.uk
|