Rainwater conservation stagnates in Lucknow’s govt buildings
Out of 110 central government and 587 state government buildings, a mere 160 are fitted with these essential systems, highlighting a significant gap in the city’s water conservation efforts.
Despite the pressing need for sustainable water management, only a fraction of government buildings in Lucknow are equipped with rooftop rainwater harvesting (RRWH) systems.
Out of 110 central government and 587 state government buildings, a mere 160 are fitted with these essential systems, highlighting a significant gap in the city’s water conservation efforts.
A 2022 survey found that RRWH systems in 23 out of 24 assessed government buildings, including the district collectorate, in the city were dysfunctional. Out of them, 18 required repairs ranging from minor to major, while five needed reconstruction. The survey was conducted by WaterAid India in May and June of that year.
Some RRWH structures were built over 15 years ago, while others were three to five years old. Over time, many became dysfunctional due to lack of maintenance, it had suggested.
Which buildings need repair works
A good example of effective water management is the Lucknow Development Authority building in Gomti Nagar. This building boasts a fully functional rainwater harvesting system, showcasing what can be achieved with proper installation and maintenance. However, many other buildings fall short of this standard.
Officials said the RRWH systems at the women’s polytechnic college on Faizabad Road, La Place Building in Hazratganj, Hewett Polytechnic, IMDUP building in Aliganj, and the LDA office in Lalbagh were currently non-functional.
The report emphasised that agencies and departments responsible for maintaining these systems should institutionalise a management model to ensure continuous maintenance, functionality, and impact assessment. It recommended annual maintenance that included pre-monsoon, mid-monsoon and post-monsoon assessments, site visits, and necessary operation and maintenance (O&M) steps for successful functioning of rainwater harvesting systems.
‘City can save 50 lakh gallons of rainwater’
Experts emphasise the potential of rainwater harvesting in Lucknow, a city that receives an average of 590 mm of rainfall annually.
VK Joshi, an environmentalist, spoke to HT from Almora: “With proper rooftop water harvesting systems, we will be able to return millions of litres of water to the earth in a season. A 100 sq mt rooftop can conserve nearly 80 lakh litres of water during a normal monsoon. If all the 587 state government and 110 central government buildings get proper rooftop water harvesting systems, then the city will send more than 50 lakh gallons of water back to earth.”
Virendra Singh Yadav, who retired as a deputy director at Geological Survey of India and is now an environmentalist, stressed the urgency of the situation: “Given the rapidly falling groundwater levels, the time has come to take up rooftop rainwater harvesting on a large scale by citizens and private organizations. There is a need for a more detailed assessment of the water that can be tapped back to earth through rooftop rainwater harvesting systems not only in government buildings but in private buildings too.”
‘Rainwater harvesting mandatory; all systems will be put back in order’
Jal Shakti minister Swatantra Dev Singh said it was now mandatory for all government buildings to install rainwater harvesting system. “Many government buildings in the state capital have rooftop rainwater harvesting systems. Many of them are not functional, maybe due to lack of proper upkeep. I have directed concerned officials of the groundwater department to see to that all the rainwater harvesting systems are brought in a working condition,” he noted.
District magistrate Suryapal Gangwar said he supported the idea of extensive rainwater conservation efforts given their widespread benefits. Municipal chief Inderjit Singh said the corporation would ensure that all its buildings were equipped with functional RRWH systems.
A senior hydrologist at the state groundwater department, Anupam Srivastava said the government was seriously working for water conservation and promoting rainwater harvesting across the state.