Sunday, March 13, 2011

Beating crisis-Rainwater Harvesting

   We usually head towards dry months when thermal units start ascending. But this year with climate's heavy blow of rainless winter we had to witness the onset of dry season prior to normal time.
   During dry season, drinking water crisis matters the denizens of Kathmandu most since condition of drinking water supply throughout the country is bad, being worse in the Kathmandu Valley.

   We, Kathmanduites, got water supply alternatively or once in a blue moon and many a time we had to keep vainglorious night vigils for the glimpse of water drops even in normal seasons. So,how this season will show its colour is not beyond imagination.
   Though the authority concerned is reported to have been exercising to provide more water supply, it won't meet even a half of consumers' need. Therefore, time has come that we opted for alternatives ourselves.
You might agree to me in this point and probably suggest to seek relief in underground water. But for how long,ten years,twenty years? Are we the last of our species? Certainly not.Our offspring will have to follow suit as we did to our ancestors.
   You know the fact that the ponds that fed stone spouts have become legends because of mushrooming buildings, more & more wells getting dug up aiding to drain up naturally reserved underground water faster, streams and rivulets, the perennial sources of water flowing from the outskirts to the valley are getting muddy & unusable due to umpteenth illegally-licensed stone mines. And all these are adding fuel to the flames.
   Time has ripe for us to choose an eco-friendly alternative to beat the crisis. For this the process of harvesting rainwater can undoubtedly prove to be one for us to take refuge in. The process is not onerous.It doesn't need hi-tech engineering nor is it that dear either.
   To start with, all you have to do is to build two tanks--one for filtration and another for storage.When it rains you've to supply the water to the first tank directly from the roof,no matter it is flat or corrugated.It gets filtered there and you can reserve it in the second one to consume as per your need.You can dig up a well by the tank to store extra amount of water which can be used for washing and gardening purpose. Now, invest a meager amount of money once, own your own still Melamchi in your compound and bid adieu to all those past headaches regarding drinking water.
   A recent study shows if every household started harvesting rainwater,the nature's gift,almost eighty percent of Kathmandu's water problem can be kept at bay forever. By this the burden of the authority concerned will be automatically toned down a great deal inspiring it to act wholeheartedly.On top of that there'll be no risk of water-borne epidemics and any negative impact in the ecosystem. So I'd like to request all the Kathmanduites to give this boon a try on the basis of the proverb "A stitch in time saves nine".