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Most urban agglomerations in Algeria are facing persistent water shortages, mainly caused by climate change and rapid urbanization. To alleviate this problem, the government has introduced a system of intermittent water supply. This measure obliges households to store drinking water during cuts periods to ensure uninterrupted access to water in their homes. This study investigated the potential of rainwater harvesting to reduce the need for such storage. By analyzing five different simulation scenarios, the study focused on the application of rainwater harvesting in individual households in the Algerian municipality of Beni-Mered. The results showed that the effectiveness of rainwater harvesting varied significantly depending on the usage scenario. In fact, rainwater harvesting was able to reduce drinking water storage from 5% to 84%. These results underline the importance of the government adopting a comprehensive development strategy for rainwater harvesting, based on a participatory framework and supported by financial resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eco-friendly group housing emphasizes sustainability by integrating environmentally responsible design and construction practices. The existing body of research primarily centers on urban sustainability, leaving a significant gap for rural eco-housing in developing nations like India. In the present study, a multi-vector eco-housing modeling framework has been strategically developed. The framework presented in this study integrates multiple vectors such as energy, water, and waste, utilizing modern technologies like rainwater collection systems, greywater treatment plants, and efficient irrigation systems. A comprehensive survey collected data on housing type, location, type of construction material used, gender, social indicators, and livelihoods. PV Syst was used to optimally size and design solar-based net zero energy homes through data-based climatic analysis. Each household's water consumption and waste disposal were analyzed by calculating the usage/pax./day/activity and in kgs/day, respectively. Adopting solar technologies and practices, such as rainwater harvesting and waste management, led to a considerable reduction in resource consumption and environmental degradation. Eco-friendly houses promise long-term savings through efficient water management and reduced maintenance costs, fostering a healthy living environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influx of refugees, population growth and current agricultural practices have led to an increase in water demand in Jordan, placing pressure on existing water provision. Climate change further exacerbates declining water availability. Against this backdrop, the techno-economic feasibility of four water supply and sanitation alternatives for small and medium scale cities in Jordan were explored, using local unit costs and Al-Mafraq as a case study. City level piped network combined with household rooftop rainwater harvesting and surface runoff collection into local ponds and piped networks with treatment using the nature-based solution of root-zone for sanitation were demonstrated to provide the highest benefits in terms of cost, convenience and water conservation. Our work highlights the need to invest in long-term urban infrastructure networks to promote sustainable future growth of cities. This is vital to address severe water scarcity challenges that ultimately impact those at the urban fringes most. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water conservation in arid and semi-arid regions faces significant challenges due to low and irregular rainfall, worsened by climate change, which negatively affects rain-fed crop productivity. Various techniques, including supplemental irrigation using runoff harvesting ponds, aim to address these issues but often suffer from water loss due to infiltration, influenced by the pond liner type. This study uses a factorial analysis to assess the farmers' perceptions of four pond sealing techniques. Using the Waso-2 method, a survey conducted in 2022 among 41 rainwater harvesting pond owners across three regions of Burkina Faso revealed that farmers prioritized impermeability and ease of maintenance over cost and availability. Concrete, scoring 16/20, was the most preferred, chosen by over 75% of farmers for its durability and resistance to weathering, despite its high cost. Geomembrane, with a score of 12/20, was valued for its waterproofing properties but had durability concerns. Clay, although cheap and available, scored 8/20 due to poor waterproofing on unstable ground. Bitumen, the least favored with a score of 6/20, was hindered by scarcity and lack of familiarity. To enhance supplemental irrigation in Burkina Faso and similar regions, waterproof concrete or durable geomembrane liners are recommended. Further research into improving bitumen and clay liners is also suggested. These findings provide key insights into farmers' preferences, offering guidance for developing effective water conservation strategies to boost agricultural productivity and address food security challenges in the context of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is an enormous amount of water vapor in ambient air that can be converted into liquid water by several methods. A method that is capable of producing a large amount of water is a vapor compression system. However, this method requires significant power input, which may cause the cost of producing water to be prohibitive. In this paper, it is proposed that a vapor compression refrigeration system that is used to cool air in a combined cycle power plant has the potential to be a viable method of atmospheric water generation. This system produces saturated air by mixing atmospheric air with water, and reduces air temperature and humidity using a mechanical chiller. The reduction in inlet air temperature enables the combined cycle power plant to generate more power output, which is used to operate the air cooling system. Therefore, the air cooling system can harvest atmospheric water without requiring external power input. This concept is proven by simulating system performance in various atmospheric air conditions using system models of mass and energy balances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article assesses the importance of traditional technologies, knowledge and practices for water harvesting and conservation in the remote areas of Northwestern Himalaya, India. The study surveys the role of traditional water resources in supporting daily life activities, including Khuls or irrigation channels, Baori or stone-walled pit dug, Jayroo and Maggaru spiritual spring water, Nauns or tank-style surface water, the water structures khads and nahllas, kua, and Gharat or watermills.

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Water scarcity inhibits plant growth, especially in arid regions. Traditional irrigation methods often lack efficiency and sustainability. This study investigates AquaTrap, a biomimetic design, as a potential solution. The study highlights AquaTrap's advantages by analyzing its design and previous research on bioinspired water harvesting. It highlights its ability to increase water efficiency and support sustainable plant growth in dry areas. Biomimicry inspires AquaTrap's design, which mimics natural systems to capture and deliver water to plant roots. To collect condensation while repelling water, the stack uses superhydrophobic materials. Plant roots then receive this accumulated water for growth. Compared to traditional methods, AquaTrap offers many advantages. Its stand-alone design eliminates complex infrastructure and minimizes evaporation. Additionally, delivering water directly to the roots reduces waste and increases water efficiency. This technology holds promise for introducing new vegetation, restoring plant life, and promoting sustainable agriculture in arid regions. Further research is needed to explore the potential of AquaTrap in a variety of field conditions, optimize it for different plants and environments, and evaluate its economic feasibility for widespread use. AquaTrap also has significant potential for sustainable forestry, as it can significantly increase the survival and growth of trees in water-scarce environments. System solution opportunities and modular structure provide crucial support during the most critical adaptation period of afforestation. By reducing water consumption and increasing efficiency, it supports the establishment and maintenance of healthy forests, which are vital for ecosystem resilience and biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water conservation efforts are needed to meet increasing water demand (e.g., rainwater harvesting) to help maintain water and environmental sustainability in the present and future. The interdependence of the five components, which comprised 31 factors, was examined in a quick assessment of urban rainwater harvesting. This study aimed to evaluate the sustainability aspect that affects rainwater harvesting based on five sustainability factors. Stages of the research methodology; 1) Preparation of the research area and respondents, 2) Collecting data through survey methods using interview techniques to obtain related data, 3) Conducting data analysis and characterizing the sustainability of rainwater harvesting, using multi-aspect analysis based on developed factors and attributes, and 4) Using two scenarios reasonably sustainable circumstances urban rainwater harvesting variables, adapting management strategies should be developed based on the urban rainwater harvesting sustainability research, which is in a reasonably sustainable environment. The results show that the sustainability status of urban rainwater harvesting in the City of Balikpapan is relatively consistent, with an indicator of 44.77%. Institutional and technological infrastructure are aspects of low sustainability. To raise sustainability status to 'sustainable,’ then choose scenario number 1, that is a realistic scenario in which the 10 sensitive factors are upgraded, thereby raising the sustainability indicator to 65.52%. The most sensitive attributes to be improved are poor groundwater quality, availability of funding for rainwater harvesting, need for roof cleaning, need for collaboration between stakeholders, and reduction of conflict over taking water sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bangladesh heavily relies on groundwater resource for all major uses and ranks sixth in the global league of large groundwater extracting countries. Its northwest part—the drought-prone Barind Tract faces challenges in rainfall scarcity and drought; constrain for runoff water conservation due to improper management; low infiltration capacity of thick top surface clay soil layer (Barind clay) to recharge aquifer insufficiently; loss of major portion of runoff water runs toward canals (Kharies), surrounding rivers, etc., immediately after rainfall; less potentiality of groundwater resource development results its depletion due to over-exploitation for domestic and agriculture sectors and eventually discharged into surrounding canals, rivers, etc., in both the dry and monsoon seasons. At the same time, unsustainable water management practice consequences are a rapid declination of groundwater level since the last few decades, the system leads to unbalance condition. Unfortunately, no such study for sustainable water source management has yet been conducted for the area. In this context, rainwater harvesting through artificial recharge of groundwater using managed aquifer recharge (MAR) has been considered as a viable solution to revert the ongoing depletion of this resource and to restore the water balance scenario as a terrific and challenging task. Here, the potentiality of MAR has been considered as an integrated approach of remote sensing and geographical information system using multi-criteria decision-making technique as time-consuming and cost-effective efforts. The potentiality of MAR application covers an area of 448 km2 (20%) as 'highly suitable'; that of 1456 km2 (66%) as 'moderately suitable'; and that of 312 km2 (14%) as 'unsuitable.' Here, 35% of rainfall is lost as runoff and the remaining 14% as soil moisture. Again, groundwater resource used for irrigation equals 24% of the annual rainfall, whereas that of only 8.5% infiltrates to recharge aquifer naturally, and the rest 68% of runoff water has a scope to injection artificially to revert balanced condition. Using MAR, the cost of recharge per cubic meter of water is about US$ 0.18. Although this is little bit expensive, it can be a valuable gift for economically marginalized and unprivileged Barind communities facing hardship for drinking and agricultural water. Finally, the present study provides a guideline to water resource managers and decision makers to ascertain availability of water resource as lauded in the Bangladesh Water Act (BWA) (2013). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of World Water Policy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

To develop a water conscious strategy, it is critical to track and trace water from its source to the end users, understand water conservation behaviors, and identify the factors that influence water consumption. However, in developing nations, little research has been done to provide a quantitative picture of how water is consumed and transformed in urban households, as well as the water sensitive interventions needed to improve access to clean water. Hence, the main objective of the study was to determine the most significant residential water consumption variables and to predict residential water consumption in a way that can generate water consumption information for water sensitive intervention decision making using the case study of Adama city in Ethiopia. A combination of top down and bottom up data collection techniques were employed as the data collection instrument. Machine learning was integrated with spatial and socioeconomic analytic techniques to estimate daily household water consumption and identify the factors that significantly influence household water consumption. The results show that there is only "one source option" for the city's clean water supply and that different water harvesting methods are not likely to be developed. The average daily water consumption per person is 69 liters which falls below the national standard of 80 liters allocated per person per day. The result reveals that the water distribution network covers only 45% of the city master plan. About 38% of the water demand is unmet and 30% of households only receive water once every three days or fewer. This shows that the city is experiencing physical and economic water scarcity. The results demonstrated that family size, housing quality, income, number of rooms, legal status of the parcel, supply reliability, climate, and topographical features are the most important factors in predicting residential water consumption. This study further demonstrates how well supervised machine learning models, such as the Random Forest Regression algorithm, can predict the household's daily water consumption. The findings also showed that there is a need for significant improvements in water saving habits of the households. Another conclusion that can be drawn is that as long as the city's business as usual water consumption practice doesn't change, the water supply problem will worsen over time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Sri Lanka, the wet zone of Colombo and other urban areas usually experience urban flooding situations. Furthermore, the urban setting is rapidly changing. The community perceives flood control and water conservation relatively poorly. Rainwater harvesting is a low-impact development (LID) method to control urban flash flood situations. However, considering people's interest in and awareness of rainwater harvesting (RWH), it was found that RWH is a lost factor in urban conservation. Therefore, using economically attractive choices, this study estimated the trade-off of residents practicing RWH in urban areas affected by high surface water runoff. The study's selected area was the Thimbirigasyaya Divisional Secretariat Division (DSD) flooding spots, an ideal location to estimate the preferences/trade-offs of individuals regarding rainwater harvesting practices. This estimation was calculated using a choice experiment (CE) method, which is an economic valuation method. Under this method, the conditional logit model was used to analyze people's preferences. The results showed that people are motivated and prefer to use RWH due to selected attributes in the field survey. This promising result implies that individuals prefer to use the RWH system as a method of stormwater management and water conservation. Moreover, most residents are willing to adopt these systems looking at their monthly water bill reduction and as promoters of green building concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainfall harvesting in arid regions and semi-arid regions increases soil water availability for plant during the growing season, thus increasing crop production. Jordan is facing the most serious water shortages in the Middle East. It is an arid country located east of the Jordan River with a land area of about 90,000-km. Contour stone terraces have been widely used by Jordanian farmers in the hilly areas for soil and water conservation purposes. Traditionally, farms' soil is subjected to systematic deep plowing to break up the surface rocks and then remove stones for installation of stone terraces. A new land reclamation method for water harvesting has been experimented in the hilly parts of Jordan that improves the effectiveness of traditional stone terraces. The method consists of designing semi-circular stone bunds randomly based on the micro topography of land. Semi-circular bunds were located at areas having deep soil pockets and adequate runoff rocky area and do not require deep plowing with minimum land disturbance. This method minimizes soil erosion, maximizes rainfall harvesting due to the high runoff efficiency from runoff rocky areas, and promotes biodiversity. The cost of this method is about 85% less than that of the traditional stone terraces used by Jordanian farmers. Field evaluations showed that semi-circular bunds increased soil moisture and Sage yield in the cropping areas by about 7% and 35% compared to control areas, respectively. The soil depth in some of the cropping terraced areas increased by about 3 and 25 cm at the end of the 2003/2004 and 2016/2017 rainy seasons, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UK's abundant municipal water supply has resulted in slow progress with the uptake of rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems within the home. Research has indicated that exploring public preferences for domestic RWH are necessary for increasing demand. Here, we use explicit and implicit tests to investigate public perceptions of RWH for non-potable uses, and compare perceptions of respondents with and without domestic RWH systems. RWH is perceived positively by most respondents indicating an openness and acceptance of this technology (and/or lack of strong negative attitudes). Implicit attitudes are generally more positive than explicit, especially in respondents with RWH systems, implying that the positivity is deep-seated in their subconsciousness. We also reveal differences between subconscious (implicit) beliefs and practical difficulties (explicit opinions). Outdoor uses of rainwater are preferred, hence, more work in promoting indoor uses is needed to maximise the resource potential of UK rainfall and uptake of RWH systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainwater harvesting (RWH) provides a unique opportunity for water conservation. This research aimed to assess the performance of two types of RWH systems (gravity and pump-driven) at a local public school in replacing non-potable water for toilet flushing. The volume of harvested water, efficiency to meet demand, expenses involved and associated environmental burdens were key criteria of performance. Economic considerations included capital costs and return periods, while the environmental aspects encompassed simplified life cycle assessments (LCAs) as well as specific carbon footprints. The gravity-fed system supplied 452.5 kL/annum and covered 31.8% of the demand for flushing water for toilets for the school investigated. The pumped system provided 476.8 kL/annum representing 33.5% of the demand. Together they would be able to supply 65.3% of the demand. The catchment area of these two systems differed and there was no overlap. As expected, the gravity-fed system outperformed the pumped system, both economically and environmentally, because no energy for pumping was needed. In terms of costs, the difference was small, and the payback periods of both systems were similar. However, environmentally, the LCA scores for the pumped system were an order of magnitude higher for all 18 impact categories considered. Carbon footprints showed that in the construction stage both systems have similar footprints. For the operation stage, the comparison was extended, as there were higher energy requirements for the pumped system (about 4 times higher than those from the provision of municipal potable water), but in the same range or lower when compared with other alternative sources of water like groundwater abstraction, recycling of municipal water and desalination. The gravity-fed system required no energy for pumping. This study shows how trade-offs in assessing the overall performance of RWH systems can be considered, leading to better decision making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The indiscriminate use of groundwater and its overexploitation has led to a significant decline in groundwater resources in India, making it essential to identify potential recharge zones for aquifer recharge. A study was conducted to determine such potential recharge zones in the Nandhour-Kailash River watershed. The study area included 1481 streams divided into 12 sub-basins (SWS). The results show that the downstream Saraunj sub-basins (SWS-11) and Odra sub-basins (SWS-12) were high priority and required immediate soil and water conservation attention. Sub catchments Lobchla West (SWS-4), Deotar (SWS-5), Balot South (SWS-8), Nandhour (SWS-9), and Nakoliy (SWS-10) had medium priority and were designated for moderate soil erosion and degradation. In contrast, sub-catchments Aligad (SWS-1), Kundal (SWS-2), Lowarnala North (SWS-3), Bhalseni (SWS-6), and Uparla Gauniyarao (SWS-7) had low priority, indicating a low risk of soil erosion and degradation. Using the existing groundwater level data, the potential map of groundwater was validated to confirm its validity. According to the guidelines provided by the Integrated Mission for Sustainable Development (IMSD), the results of the groundwater potential zones for good to very good zones have been integrated at the slope and stream order. In a 120.94 km2 area with a slope of 0–5% in first-order streams, 36 ponds were proposed, and in a 218.03 km2 area with a slope of 15% in first- to fourth-order streams, 105 retention dams were proposed and recognized as possible sites for artificial groundwater recharge. The proposed water harvesting structure may aid in continuously recharging these zones and benefit water resource managers and planners. Thus, various governmental organizations can use the results to identify possible future recharge areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Water demand is expected to increase in all sectors. Rainwater can be a solution to the lack of the clean water crisis. The quality of rainwater harvested is highly dependent on the rainwater harvesting system. Methods: This literature review is a narrative review using sources from the Scopus and Pubmed databases. The keywords used were utilization, rainwater, and rainwater harvesting methods. Of the 30 references identified in the search phase, ten were eligible for inclusion in this review. Results: Harvested rainwater can be used for multiple purposes such as watering plants, washing, bathing, and even cooking if the water quality meets health standards. There are three fundamental components that should be present within the rainwater harvesting system: 1) a rainwater pipe that traps water, e.g., utilizing the shape of the roof surface, 2) a water distribution system, i.e., a system that transports water from the roof to the superficies through a gutter, and 3) a reservoir that stores rainwater such as barrels, tubs, or ponds. Conclusions: Water conservation efforts are needed to meet the demand for water in the face of increasingly limited supply. Harvesting rainwater is one of the methods of water conservation that can be carried out by each household of the community to collect raw rainwater for consumption and use. If rainwater harvesting is practiced in a sustainable manner, it will help maintain water and environmental sustainability, thus supporting the livelihood of present and future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental problems such as land subsidence, seawater intrusion, and groundwater contamination are the impacts of groundwater exploitation in hotel and apartment buildings in the city of Semarang. This research was conducted on ten buildings using a four-model approach to water conservation, which includes rainwater harvesting, water-saving plumbing fixtures, the reuse of recycled water from gray water, and condensate water from air conditioners in buildings. The results showed that rainwater harvesting contributes 13.12-166.77% of the total building water demand, depending on the size of the catchment area of the building. Rainwater harvesting can be combined with infiltration wells, but the research location is relatively shallow; the groundwater depth is less than 1 meter, so infiltration wells cannot be applied. The use of water-saving plumbing fixtures accounts for 6.4% of the total building water demand. Likewise, with gray water, the reuse of recycled water from gray water contributes 59.87-69.71% of the total building water demand. Gray water is treated at STP, then flows to RWT, then flows to WTP to be treated. Gray water should not be mixed with black water so that the treatment load at the STP and WTP is not too large. Finally, condensate water from air conditioners in buildings is no less important to note; although it contributes only 1.43% of the total building water demand, it plays a role in creating green buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of climate change, population growth, and future hydrologic uncertainties necessitate increased water conservation, new water resources, and a shift towards sustainable urban water supply portfolios. Diversifying water portfolios with non-traditional water sources can play a key role. Rooftop harvested rainwater (RHRW), atmospheric and condensate harvesting, stormwater, recycled wastewater and greywater, and desalinated seawater and brackish water are all currently utilized and rapidly emerging non-traditional water sources. This review explores the status and trends around these non-traditional water sources, and reviews approaches and models for prioritizing, predicting, and quantifying metrics of concern. The analysis presented here suggests that understanding the challenges of location specific scenarios, socioeconomic knowledge gaps, water supply technologies, and/or water management structure is the crucial first step in establishing a model or framework approach to provide a strategy for improvement going forward. The findings of this study also suggest that clear policy guidance and onsite maintenance is necessary for variable water quality concerns of non-traditional sources like harvested rainwater and greywater. In addition, use of stormwater or reuse of wastewater raises public health concerns due to unknown risks and pathogen levels, thus rapid monitoring technologies and transparent reporting systems can facilitate their adoption. Finally, cost structure of desalination varies significantly around the world, largely due to regulatory requirements and local policies. Further reduction of its capital cost and energy consumption is identified as a hurdle for implementation. Overall, models and process analyses highlight the strength of comparative assessments across scenarios and water supply options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rain barrels are a great way to conserve water, save money, and contribute to a sustainable landscape. However, adoption of rain barrels is low with homeowners concerned about water quality especially from different roof types. Our analysis of nutrients showed that there was no difference in nutrient levels based on roof type. All water samples had low levels of nutrients and no detectable pathogens. Based on our analysis, the water collected from these rain barrels would be safe to use for non-potable uses in the landscape and garden.

People have used rainwater harvesting (RWH) technology for generations to a considerable extent in semi-arid and arid regions. In addition to meeting domestic needs, this technology can be utilized for agricultural purposes as well as soil and water conservation measures. Modeling the identification of the appropriate pond's location therefore becomes crucial. This study employs a Geo Information System (GIS) based multi-criteria analysis (MCA) approach and satellite rainfall data, Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation (GSMaP) to determine the suitable locations for the ponds in a semi-arid area of Indonesia, Liliba watershed, Timor. The criteria for determining the location of the reservoir refer to the FAO and Indonesia's small ponds guideline. The watershed's biophysical characteristics and the socioeconomic situation were taken into consideration when selecting the site. According our statistical analysis, the correlation coefficient results of satellite daily precipitation were weak and moderate, but the results were strong and extremely strong for longer time scales (monthly). Our analysis shows that about 13% of the entire stream system is not suitable for ponds, whereas areas that are both good suitability and excellent suitability for ponds make up 24% and 3% of the total stream system. 61% of the locations are partially suited. The results are then verified against simple field observations. Our analysis suggests that there are 13 locations suitable for pond construction. The combination of geospatial data, GIS, a multi-criteria analysis, and a field survey proved effective for the RWH site selection in a semi-arid region with limited data, especially on the first and second order streams. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water crisis issues are common in rural and urban areas, which can be tackled honestly by planning and managing existing water resources. The site suitability map is the principal footstep of planning practice for a region's sustainable surface and groundwater resource development. The paper aims to delineate and suggest suitable sites for water harvesting for sustainable water resource development by taking the lower Kulsi watershed as a study area. Analytical Hierarchical Process (AHP) and Geographical Information System (GIS) techniques are used in the multi-criteria decision-making process to identify a suitability map of water harvesting structures like percolation tanks, check dams, and surface farm ponds on the basin of the specific key factor of each design. About one hundred ninety-six sites are detected from the most suitable category of suitability based on particular criteria and suggestions for sustainable water conservation in the study area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pakistan is currently facing physical and economic water scarcity issues, which have been further complicated by the rapid increase in its population and climate change. In affected areas, many methods are being used to tackle this problem, among which rainwater harvesting (RWH) provides the best alternative source of domestic water supply. In rainwater harvesting, a mechanism is designed to effectively collect surface runoff during rainfall events from residential rooftops. It has also been found that rainwater has great potential as a source of water supply in residential areas of major cities, such as Lahore, which is the focus of our study. This research paper examines rainwater harvesting as a sustainable solution to address the challenges of drinking water scarcity and urban flooding. The study discusses the benefits of rainwater harvesting, including reducing reliance on municipal water sources, improving water quality, and mitigating the impact of urban flooding. Additionally, the paper explores the use of filtered water points in conjunction with rainwater harvesting systems to provide clean drinking water to communities. The research draws on case studies from various regions to illustrate the effectiveness of rainwater harvesting as a sustainable solution to water scarcity and urban flooding. Ultimately, the study concludes that rainwater harvesting, when coupled with filtered water points, can offer an effective and sustainable solution to address drinking water scarcity and urban flooding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity and soil erosion are the main constraints small holder farmers are facing in Tigray, the northern most part of Ethiopia. Both very high and very low precipitation can cause a damage to agriculture which is the case in semi-arid regions like Tigray. While too little rainfall cannot support the growth of crops resulting in crop failure, the short but intense rainfall also causes a runoff thereby washing away essential soil nutrients. Installation of different micro/macro-catchment rainwater harvesting can address both water scarcity and soil erosion if they are properly designed prior to construction. This research was intended to develop a methodology for identifying suitable rainwater harvesting (rwh) sites by using weighted overlay analysis. It also utilizes Ahp (analytical hierarchy process) as effective multi-criterion decision-making tool in eastern Tigray at Kilte Awlaelo district on an area of 1001 km2. This method was chosen because it is simple to use, cost effective, flexible and widely adopted. Physical, hydrological, climate and socio-economic aspects were taken into account during criteria selection. The result indicated four suitability classes with 8.74% highly suitable areas (85.25 km2), 56% suitable areas (550.75 km2), 30.8% moderately suitable areas (303.2 km2) and 4.46% less suitable areas (43.87 km2). The produced rwh suitability map was also validated by both ground truth on google earth pro and a field trip to the study site. In situ and ex situ rwh including bench terraces, wells, and exclosure areas were identified during the field visit that verified the suitability model. Finally, depending on weight and scale of criteria and sub-criteria that matched to each identified suitable areas, different micro-catchment and macro-catchment techniques of water harvesting are recommended. This methodology can be utilized as decision-making tool for rwh practitioners, local and foreign organizations working on soil water conservation programmes and policy-makers during their early planning stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainwater Catchment System Reliability (RCSR) is the chance that a system will deliver the required water for an interval of time. Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) is gaining popularity as a potential alternative water source for household or agricultural use. The reliability of the Al Abila dam in the western desert of Iraq was analyzed using a water budget simulation model and two explanations of reliability, time-based reliability, and volumetric reliability. To evaluate rainwater harvesting system performance, comprehensive software utilizing a method for everyday water balance using data from 20 years of daily rainfall. According to the findings, volumetric reliability, and for the three climate scenarios (wet, average, and dry year), increased as the storage volume increased until a threshold accrued on the storage capacity of 11.7 × 105 m3. While time-based reliability shows an increase up to a storage volume of 10.2 × 105 m3. Volumetric reliability of roughly 34–75% may be achieved, while only 14–28% time-based reliability may be achieved. Water saving efficiency decreases with increasing demand fraction, while the runoff coefficient has no significant influence on water effectiveness. While growing storage fraction value increases the effectiveness of water conservation and the value of the runoff coefficient influences the water saving efficiency. For both cases, water saving efficiency for the dam does not reach 50%. Using daily rainfall data, the technique given in this paper might be applied to predict water savings and the RWH systems' reliability in different arid and semi-arid areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Rainwater Harvesting Systems (RWHS) have been used as water conservation alternative to guarantee access to water in urban areas facing increasing demand and climate variability. However, the functioning of these systems depends on socio and economic parameters that usually are defined as constant in traditional viability analyses. The variability of these parameters is not well represented by predefined probability functions, being named in the literature as deep uncertainty factors differentiating from well-characterized uncertainties whose probability functions are known. This research aimed to evaluate the influence of uncertainties (deep and well characterized) in the performance of RWHS in three towns in the State of Goiás, Brazil (Rio Verde, Ipameri and Formosa). Technical (Satisfied Demand - SD, Reliability - REL and Rainwater Consumed - RH) and economic (Net Present Value - NPV, Net Present Value Volume - NPVV and Benefit Cost Rate - BCR) performance criteria were evaluated under a set of 1,000 states of the world comprised of climate (rainfall) and deep uncertainty factors (water tariff, discount rate and operational costs). According to selected performance criteria, the RWHS performed well in 50.01%, 46.19% and 38.01% of the scenarios in Rio Verde, Ipameri and Formosa, respectively. It was possible to illustrate the impact of the water tariff and the discount rate in the performance of RWHS in all three cities showing the need to incorporate the variability of these parameters when evaluating RWHS as alternative source of water supply in urban areas. Highlights: • Deep Uncertainties had significant influence in the performance of Rainwater Harvesting Systems (RWHS) • RWHS configurations (differentiated by system demands and roof areas) perform differently when considering isolated or combined economic and technical criteria • RHWS are more likely to contribute to urban water security when evaluated as an alternative source of water supply • Households with higher levels of demand and larger roof areas are more likely to benefit from RWHS as an alternative source of water supply in future changing scenarios [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Food, energy and water insecurity are concomitant challenges facing many communities in East Africa. Agrivoltaic systems – agriculture integrated with photovoltaic panels – address all three challenges, providing low carbon electricity, food production and water conservation on the same land area. Agrivoltaics have proven benefits for the food-energy-water nexus in the USA, Europe and Asia, but research is lacking in sub-Saharan Africa, where energy access remains low, and climate change and water scarcity threaten food systems. This study presents evidence for concomitant electricity generation, food production and water conservation from agrivoltaic systems in Tanzania and Kenya, demonstrating the viability of these systems for both grid-tied agribusinesses and rural, off-grid communities. Performance of some crops improved under agrivoltaics, generating higher incomes for farmers and agribusinesses while reducing energy bills and/or enhancing energy supply. Crop survivability during a warm period was greater under the agrivoltaic system, indicating potential for climate change resilience. Panel shading reduced irrigation demand, thus some crops achieved greater yields while needing less water input. Rainwater harvesting from panel runoff further reduced irrigation needs. Combining energy infrastructure with agriculture enhanced land productivity for all crops at both sites. Agrivoltaics, whether grid-tied or off-grid, could address multiple Sustainable Development Goals in East Africa simultaneously by contributing to energy security, climate change-resilient food production, and water conservation in the region. [Display omitted] • Agrivoltaics can generate electricity, improve crop yields, and reduce water loss. • Agrivoltaics can support off-grid electrification in rural East Africa. • Some crop yields and sale values are higher with agrivoltaic systems. • Some crops produce greater yields with less water input. • Land productivity is improved with simultaneous electricity and food production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The urban-scale impacts of the use of Rainwater Harvesting Systems (RWHS) are little explored within the Brazilian urban and climatic reality. Thus, the objective of this work is to verify the impacts of these systems in reducing runoff and the demand for drinking water, through a case study carried out in a neighborhood in the city of Goiânia-GO. In order to carry out the study, the land use characteristics of the studied region were studied from satellite images, with three batch patterns being defined as study scenarios. The daily residential demand for non-drinking uses of water was calculated from the standard lots and the annual rainfall pattern in the city of Goiânia, which was also characterized by taking a 30-year historical series of daily rainfall data. With these data in hand, daily water balances were calculated using Excel, for commercial reservoirs of 1, 5 and 10 m3, in addition to reservoirs with ideal volumes obtained from the NETUNO software. Two balance models were tested and compared and, from them, analyzes were made of the potential for reducing the annual consumption of drinking water in the neighborhood and hydrological simulations were run to verify the flow damping, with the support of the SWMM program. In general, the RWHS use has positive aspects: it reduces the drinking water demand in the neighborhood (up to 37%). However, when analyzing the reduction of peak flows in the drainage system, it is only significant in scenarios with larger reservoirs, confirming its marginal role in stormwater management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sand dams (SDs) are rainwater harvesting methods in East-African drylands for rural water supplies and small-scale irrigation practices. However, little information exists on their ability to maintain the harvested water in the right quantity and quality. Three SDs were selected from south-eastern Kenya's semi-arid zone as a case study to evaluate their operational performance. Water and sediment samples were collected and analyzed in both the field and laboratory. Six performance indicators, namely stormwater-capture efficiency (SCE), water-saving efficiency (WSE), volume-based and time-based reliabilities, water demand satisfaction rate (WDSR), water loss percentage, physicochemical water pollution index (WPI) and microbial non-compliance rate (NCR), were computed. Results showed that water storage in SDs is quite low and unfit for direct human consumption. In fact, three experimental SDs harvested 7,356 m³ during the long-rains season (March-May 2018) for an estimated water demand of 8,990 m³ (June-September). About 4,505 m³ (61.24%) was lost through evaporation (64.11%) and seepage (35.89%). These SDs exhibited low WDSR (31.72%), inadequate SCE (3.09%), low WSE (30.85%), dismal volume reliability (24.56%), and undependable time reliability (24.91%). Shallow-well water was less polluted than scoop-hole water but both didn't meet the bacterial water quality standard (0 CFU/100 mL). The former scored a low WPI of 1.86 (reasonably clean) compared to clean water (WPI = 1), while the latter scored a high WPI of 12.91 (considerably polluted). Furthermore, NCRs for total coliforms were 60% in shallow wells and 90.79% in scoop holes. Therefore, this water should be treated and disinfected for domestic use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Rain water harvesting is the process of collection and storage of rain for various purposes. Rainwater harvesting continues to be the main source of water supply for potable and non-potable uses. Located in a hot and semi-arid region with water scarcity, the National Innovation Foundation - India (NIF) identified a need to conserve water for office use. Building upon the expertise and experience of Lok Mitra Trust in this field, NIF got built traditional, but unique type of rain water harvesting tanks also known as "Matka tank" at its headquarters in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The unique features of the tank are its hemispherical shaped upper dome and saucer shaped bottom surface, which is being reported for the first time. The Matka tank for rain water harvesting may be considered as a sustainable technique to mitigate the water scarcity in the context of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

World is facing acute water scarcity owing to growing freshwater demand, rainfall aberrations and miserable management of water resources. Selection of site for water harvesting structure is crucial for water management in basin. SWAT and AHP techniques applied for decision making at HRU level. AHP technique was used for delineation of sites using soil type, slope, runoff ratio and land use land cover criteria. Model R2 ranged from 0.85 to 0.92, NSE ranged from 0.85 to 0.92, RSR ranged from 0.28 to 0.38 and PBIAS ranged from -14.68 to 0.79 for calibration while R² ranged from 0.68 to 0.80, NSE ranged from 0.70 to 0.81, RSR ranged from 0.30 to 0.40 and PBIAS ranged from -12.7 to 0.57 for validation. upper region of basin has the highest potential of water harvesting, which can be managed efficiently by specific water harvesting structure. The tools and techniques can be adopted worldwide, for water resource planning at HRU level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water conservation is critical because it is one of the most significant factors for all species' survival. According to the Central Ground Water Board's estimates, underground water will be scarce in 15 Indian states by 2025 (Firstpost. Two-third of the world, much of India to face water scarcity, stress by 2025: Expert, 2018). However, as per the report from Ministry of Environment and Forest, only 10 to 20% rainwater is harvested. In urban areas, it is seen that nowadays concrete structures are constructed everywhere, so it is not possible to recharge the water table by natural process of raining. All the rainwater which is one of the sources for fresh water goes to drain. This causes the depletion of groundwater level which may be fatal in the future. Therefore, a rainwater harvesting system is required in Indian household to conserve water. On the other hand, the urban cities are having high pollutant levels which in turn affecting the quality of water. The government has defined certain parameters for quality checking of water. With the aid of the suitable sensors and IoT boards, quality checking, monitoring and water segregation can be easily achieved. In this work, an efficient and cost effective technique of rainwater harvesting has been presented. Some real case studies have been done at Indian houses in order to validate the effectiveness of system in terms of its implementation and cost analysis. As a result, the proposed system becomes one of the smart solutions to address the modern problem of rainwater harvesting with water quality management in low cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cost–benefit analysis of installed water conservation systems (piped water storage, water recycling, and rainwater harvesting) is important in management of water resources in urban areas. This study analysed water conservation systems installed in households in Nairobi County using 200 households' questionnaires. Benefit–cost ratio analysis indicated that the piped water storage system and rainwater harvesting system were viable with benefits at 2.80 and 2.03, respectively, while the water recycling system was not viable at 0.80. This study recommends installation of piped water storage and rainwater harvesting systems for quality, quantity, and reliable water to be availed in households within viable economic costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence is increasing of human responses to the impacts of climate change in Africa. However, understanding of the effectiveness of these responses for adaptation to climate change across the diversity of African contexts is still limited. Despite high reliance on indigenous knowledge (IK) and local knowledge (LK) for climate adaptation by African communities, potential of IK and LK to contribute to adaptation through reducing climate risk or supporting transformative adaptation responses is yet to be established. Here, we assess the influence of IK and LK for the implementation of water sector adaptation responses in Africa to better understand the relationship between responses to climate change and indigenous and local knowledge systems. Eighteen (18) water adaptation response types were identified from the academic literature through the Global Adaptation Mapping Initiative (GAMI) and intended nationally determined contributions (iNDCs) for selected African countries. Southern, West, and East Africa show relatively high evidence of the influence of IK and LK on the implementation of water adaptation responses, while North and Central Africa show lower evidence. At country level, Zimbabwe displays the highest evidence (77.8%) followed by Ghana (53.6%), Kenya (46.2%), and South Africa (31.3%). Irrigation, rainwater harvesting, water conservation, and ecosystem-based measures, mainly agroforestry, were the most implemented measures across Africa. These were mainly household and individual measures influenced by local and indigenous knowledge. Adaptation responses with IK and LK influence recorded higher evidence of risk reduction compared to responses without IK and LK. Analysis of iNDCs shows the most implemented water adaptation actions in academic literature are consistent with water sector adaptation targets set by most African governments. Yet only 10.4% of the African governments included IK and LK in adaptation planning in the iNDCs. This study recommends a coordinated approach to adaptation that integrates multiple knowledge sources, including IK and LK, to ensure sustainability of both current and potential water adaptation measures in Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout history, many water conservation and management strategies have been employed, but only a few have proved successful. Stepwells were one such effective water management technologies used in India. Stepwells were constructed based on their geographical and topographical suitability, which revealed socio-cultural behaviors and beliefs. They form a unique, efficient system of hydraulic engineering that demonstrates the region's traditional understanding of the sustainable use and management of its land, water, and agricultural biodiversity. Ancient water harvesting techniques integrated stepwells into agricultural and irrigation networks using prefabricated structures, to allow open channel flow, networked with surface water bodies. They demonstrated the use of Persian wheels, non-mechanized farm machinery, other agricultural implements, etc., and their structure utilized a vast array of local building materials, including granite, marble, sandstone, bricks, lime, mud, wood, etc. The utilization of agricultural wastes, such as rice husk, in the production of lakhori bricks is strongly associated with circular economy principles. They not only communicated and guided communities regarding water management and cleaner production, but also revealed historic knowledge regarding how ancient societies achieved social-ecological resilience. In addition to that, in almost all types of stepwells, aesthetics and ornamentation played an important role and served as a rich source of history to disseminate knowledge of governance, political ideas, social practices and lifestyle. Just a few studies on these stepwells have been published and they have generally focused on their history or on the construction materials of a specific stepwell, rather than offering a wide perspective. This review article will explore the scientific, architectural, artistic, and functional dimensions of all major stepwells in India that have either disappeared or lost their relevance owing to expanding human population and environmental stress. Additionally, this will provide an opportunity to rethink modern water engineering systems and redesign water infrastructure with less negative environmental impacts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and ensure water for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the construction mode of small-scale farmland water conservancy using secondary data from the China statistical yearbook (2000-2019), which was simply and statistically computed. To put it briefly, the simple linear regression model was used to analyse the number of small-scale reservoirs and irrigated areas relative to their capacities and effectiveness. The results showed that the number of small-scale reservoirs increased by 122.2 units of their capacity and the number of small-scale irrigated areas increased by 6.8 units of their effectiveness. The present study introduces the simple linear regression model and accounts for how the number of the small-scale reservoirs and irrigated areas has increased (the total number of reservoirs was 83,260 in 2000 and 98,822 in 2018) relative to their capacity and effectiveness, respectively. Of course, the capacity of water harvesting and the effectiveness of irrigated areas have shown a linear increase over time. Between 2000 and 2019, the capacity increased from 3842 to 7117 for large-scale reservoirs, from 746 to 126 for medium-scale reservoirs, and from 594 to 710 for small-scale reservoirs and their ranges were 3.2, 380, and 116, respectively. Furthermore, the findings of this evaluation provide insights for making decisions on water conservancy interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]