Opportunities in rainwater harvesting

Water scarcity is a major problem in many developing countries. Depending on precipitation intensity rainwater constitutes a potential source of drinking water. In addition, its proper management could reduce water and food crisis in some of these regions. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is a technology where surface runoff is effectively collected during yielding rain periods. In order to support such technologies RWH systems should be based on local skills, materials and equipment. Harvested rainwater can then be used for rainfed agriculture or water supply for households. Unfortunately, rainwater might be polluted by bacteria and hazardous chemicals requiring treatment before usage. Slow sand filtration and solar technology are methods to reduce the pollution. Membranetechnology would also be a potential disinfection technique for a safe drinking water supply.