What are the advantages of Rainwater Harvesting?

There is a constant shortage of water that is either good for drinking or home and industrial use.

Places that have long faced water crisis used to combat this problem by storing what little rain water they received. Because of this methods ability to combat water crisis and other water related issues, this method started spreading and was quickly adopted by areas with plenty of rainfall.

Advantages of Rainwater Harvesting

1. Easy to Maintain: Rainwater Harvesting Systems are based on simple technology. Maintenance of these systems requires little time and energy.
2. Reducing Water Bills: Water is required for a lot of non-drinking functions. When harvested rainwater is used for all these functions, it reduces the load on the water supply. This helps to reduce utility bills.
3. Suitable for Irrigation: There is little requirement for building new infrastructure for the rainwater harvesting system. Most rooftops act as a workable catchment area, which can be linked to the harvesting system. This also lessens the impact on the environment by reducing use of fuel based machines. Rainwater is free from many chemicals found in ground water, making it suitable for irrigation and watering gardens.
4. Reduces Demand on Ground Water: In urban areas, the demand for water is continuously rising. This is catered by extracting ground water leading to the depletion of ground water. With the use of rainwater harvesting systems this reliability on ground water can be reduced.
5. Reduces Floods:  By collecting rainwater in large storage tanks helps reduce chances of flooding in some low lying areas.
6. Reduces Soil Erosion: Rainwater Harvesting also helps in reducing soil erosion and contamination of surface water with pesticides and fertilizers from rainwater run-off which results in cleaner lakes and ponds.
7. Can be Used for Several Non-drinking Purposes: Rainwater when collected can be used for several non-drinking functions like:
   1. Flushing toilets
   2. Washing clothes
   3. Watering the garden
   4. Washing cars
   5. Composting
   6. Fire Protection
   7. Cleaning homes, residences
8. Helps reduce Water Footprint
9. Helps reduce Carbon Footprint