Role of The Association of Engineers, India in Promoting Rooftop Rainwater Harvesting and Artificial Recharge

Presently the State is heavily dependent on surface and groundwater for supplying water to the citizen. Both the sources are attacked by pollution and overexploitation. Almost all the rivers or groundwater aquifer near a city are polluted. Pollution is reducing availability of clean water. The State subsidies water people squander it. State will soon run out of money for funding a new project to meet increased demand and for maintaining the plants already built. Supply of potable water will soon be not enough to meet the demand in future with population growth and increased urbanization. Rainfall plays important role on the availability of groundwater; it will remain unaffected by Climate change. Artificial recharge to groundwater by rooftop rainwater is considered to be a feasible solution to maintain the precious groundwater resource. Need of the hour is to make the people aware through different Mass Awareness Programmes on rooftop rainwater harvesting (RWH) and artificial recharge in the areas of urban and rural regions. The Association of Engineers, India built RWH structure in May, 2006 to harvest rainwater from rooftop catchment of its Training Centre to demonstrate it to the trainees and people about this. The Association also conduct Mass Awareness Programmes and training on these areas in many places in the city and in districts. Two-day/ one-day training programme on rooftop rainwater harvesting & artificial recharge, the first of it kinds in eastern India, is conducted regularly at the Training Centre of the Association.