Admin develops calculator to promote rainwater harvesting

GuruJal society, an integrated water management initiative of the district administration, has developed the calculator based on the records of rainfall for the past 30 years in the district. Residents can input specifications, following which design specs and list of vendors will be provided

The district authorities have developed a rainwater harvesting (RWH) calculator, which will provide design specifications and a list of vendors, to encourage conservation of rainwater in the city.

With Gurugram receiving excessive rainfall this monsoon, officials are looking to increase groundwater level by rainwater harvesting. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

GuruJal society, an integrated water management initiative of the district administration, has developed the calculator based on the records of rainfall for the past 30 years in the district.

Osho Kalia, a senior member of the GuruJal team, said, “Gurugram has immense potential for groundwater recharge. In order to promote water conservation, we have developed an RWH calculator based on the records of rainfall for the past 30 years in the district. The calculator provides design specifications and a list of vendors that can be accessed through the website that may build the suggested designs.”

The portal allows users to input specifications of their premises, location and the total area available to harvest rainwater, based on which the calculations are made.

According to the records of the Central Ground Water Board, of the 1,258 square kilometre area of the district, the total area available for artificial recharge and augmentation is 1,190 square kilometres.

Recently, a report filed by GuruJal stated that the majority of the 84 rainwater harvesting units checked by the district administration in July, after the city received intermittent spells of rainfall, were choked.

According to the report, rainwater harvesting units in areas under nine residents’ welfare associations (RWAs) were checked, with 54% of 84 drains found dirty and choked. Further, the report stated that 33% of the drains need to be cleaned and 13% are in good condition. The inspections were conducted on July 15 and 22.

The district administration has been trying to promote rainwater harvesting in the district to increase the groundwater level. In July, Yash Garg, the deputy commissioner of Gurugram, during a statewide review meeting of work done under Jal Shakti Abhiyan, had said that a target of installing 2,106 rainwater harvesting structures is set for the district, with 405 structures already having been built.