A famous adage goes, “No Water, No Life.” Water is a prerequisite to sustain life on earth. Every drop of water is of significant importance. At a time when Pakistan’s population is growing at an unprecedented rate, the per capita fresh water availability is on a steep decline and this crisis of water scarcity presents an existential threat to the country. Solving this imminent crisis requires developing a national strategy including all stakeholders, political will, and policy acumen and taking tough decisions regarding implementation strategy. Among other techniques, rain water harvesting is the simplest and easiest way to save this precious yet limited source.
Use Rain Water to Wash outside Items
Well, the first thing you should do when it starts to rain is to look for the items that are dirty. You can bring them outside on your terrace or in your backyard to give them a quick wash in the rain. It can also work for your car. Make sure you wipe the surface of the car once it stops raining so that the water droplets mixed with dirt won’t leave their marks on it.
A Hose can be made to Store Rain Water
You can connect a hose to the drainpipe of your roof to water plants with rainwater. If you have rain gutters running around your entire house, you can also use them to start watering your plants during the rainy season. All you have to do is to place your plant containers near the downspouts installed at different points in your gutter system when it is raining.
Go for Roof Top Gardening
In most cases, when it pours, rainwater usually accumulates on the roof in large quantities, increasing the risk of house flooding. Well, to counter such a problem and to make the best use of rainwater, you can create a garden on your roof. To build your roof garden, you can plant different types of seeds and saplings that can absorb a lot of water. With their dense roots, they can hold plenty of water for days and you can watch them grow without even watering them regularly. Creating a garden on your roof is not only one of the most useful tips on how to conserve rainwater at home but it also forms a layer of insulation that could help you avoid extreme temperatures indoors.
Use Containers to Store Water
Take containers like drums, buckets, or bowls of different sizes to collect rainwater in your home. The hose you have attached to the drainpipe can also be used to fill large drums with rainwater, once you are done with watering plants. Also, identify the pointed or sloppy edges around the roof of your house from where most of the rainwater usually comes down. It is where you can place small containers like a bucket or a bowl to collect as much water as possible. This is one of the most effective ways to conserve rainwater at home.
Right Execution of Building Laws is direly needed
Unfortunately, planning laws have not been rightly implemented in Pakistan. For instance, according to Lahore Development Authority Building Codes, every newly constructed housing unit (having size of five Marla and above) should have at least one water tank for rain water harvesting. As per research, only 2 out of 100 housing units have water tank in Lahore. To implement building codes, LDA authority should not approve those house plans which are in the size range of 5 Marla and above without having the facility to of rain water harvesting.
Well, these were some of the best tips on how to collect rainwater at home. Hoping that these ideas will help you set up a proper rainwater collection system in your home.
