Neighborhood level Water supply
Introduction | Individual Housing level | Neighborhood level | Village/Community level | References
Rain water harvesting from a scale for the neighborhood level

Rain water harvesting is a technology that benefits the entire community. Having spatial structures such as these can create community space and community interaction. Water is essential for everyday life and the programming involved with having a community shared water collection area promotes for more community interaction and involvement.

 
Catchments basins

Materials

  • large centralized area for retainment
  • secure covered basins to avoid contamination
  • water pump for underground basins
  • pvc pipe to channel water
  • Concrete structure to retain water
  • clay or impervious material to prevent water loss

Large Scale catchments spaces, constructed with similiar properties of roofs that collect rain water, are applied to catchments areas such as these. It is important for surfaces to be clean, and catchments areas to be large enough to retain large amounts of water.

Diagrams

 

Rain water can be collected in large catchments areas and then diverted into basins that utilize plants for water quality remediation. Water remediation with plants help remove toxins and pollutants from water that is contaminated.

Diagram of Materials

Structures that can retain water.

Section of possible rain water sources for catchment basins


 

Maintenance
Maintenance includes keeping catchment areas clean of debris and any possible toxins. Removal of plants inside basins that are overgrown with plants need to be removed to avoid de-oxygenation of water. Basins should be kept away from direct sunlight to avoid algae growth. Actual basin container needs to be cleaned once a year of debris and collected materials.
Advantages/Disadvantages

Advantages

  • energy efficient technology
  • improves water quality by isolating water source and using plant remediation practices
  • sustainable and reuses rain water instead of other water collection techniques
  • can utilize natural materials such as bamboo for pipes, recycled containers
  • keeps gray water lines separate from personal consumption water lines. (this is a source of many sickness in developing countries.)
  • Water can be recycled through the living machine
  • Cultural acceptability-this technique of water catchments has been going on elsewhere for thousands of years.

Disadvantages

  • regular maintenance of catchment system
  • limited to annual rainfall per year
  • annual maintenance of water catchment and water basins
  • not cost effective