How does rainwater harvesting structures recharge ground water?
Answers
Answer:
Home/ Water Resources/ Rain Water Harvesting. ... Most simple way to recharge is to dig a pit in the ground and make a filtering system so that clean rain water can reach underground and can be reused. Location of the pit should be on a clean ground surface so that polluted water doesn't go underground through the pit.
Explanation:
Recharge through recharge wells can serve two very important purposes: first to control and mitigate flooding and secondly to help ensure rainwater percolates into groundwater. Groundwater recharge can be achieved through multiple “artificial recharge structures” such as recharge wells, direct borewell recharge, check dams (found in the rural context) etc. However this guide will focus on the “recharge well” as it is most appropriate in the urban context, consumes little real estate and can be retrofitted or integrated into real estate development. Further, the recharge well is very suited to the geology of Bangalore.
The main components of a rainwater harvesting system for groundwater recharge are:
Catchment: The rainwater collection area is any paved or unpaved surface, such as rooftop, plot (garden, driveway etc). Catchments for recharge need not be “super clean” – since the water is getting recharged and the earth acts as a filter as it percolates into the ground. Therefore, garden areas, paved areas, farmland and rooftops are appropriate catchments. Catchments with chemical contamination however should be avoided. Gardens and farmlands should be conscious about the use of fertilisers and pesticides.
Conveyance: In the case of rooftops, downpipes or gutters carry rainwater. In the case of plots, channels/pipes in the ground carry water. In layouts / campuses / large apartments storm water drains carry runoff from different catchments of the landuse (Eg: parks, roads, other paved areas, gardens and excess rooftop runoffs). Storm water drains therefore are a very important conveyance mechanism for recharge.
Filtration
Recharge well
Recharge wells can be retrofitted/integrated into real estate development in multiple ways. For any catchment, the type and number of recharge wells can be determined based on the catchment area, rate of rainwater runoff and infiltration into the soil. Also, topography of the plot should be studied to locate valley points since they get the highest amount of rainwater runoff and hence are ideal locations for recharge wells. However when flooding in valleys is a problem, recharge wells can be integrated from the ridge down to the valley. You can consult an RWH expert for advice on where to situate your wells.
For RWH systems that have both storage and recharge components, refer to this guide on building a direct use RWH (Rain Water Harvesting) system, i.e., the system for storage and direct use of water. If there is overflow from the storage barrel or sump in a Direct Use RWHM, you can channel it for recharge. Overflowing water, along with rainwater falling in your plot, can be channeled for groundwater recharge.
Filtration
The recharge well takes water down to the permeable zone which is made up of weathered rock. Here the earth itself acts as filter and fine filtration is not required. Filtration is required only to remove larger debris + silt (which will silt up the recharge well). The design of the filter therefore depends on the catchment and what kind of debris get captured from the catchment. In case of gardens / farmland, silt & leaf debris may need to be controlled. In paved areas, solid waste like plastic packets are important forms of debris that need to be controlled. An in-drain filter – normally a grating/concrete jaali – for large debris along with a silt trap can be an effective solution. For recharge wells connected to clean rooftop areas or that capture overflow from tanks / sumps, filtration is not necessary.
For recharge wells connected to clean rooftop areas or overflow from tanks / sumps, filtration is not necessary.
Constructing a Recharge Well
Construction of a recharge well is far simpler than that of a conventional open well. This video explains how a recharge well is built. Recharge
Answer:
In areas where the surface soil is impervious and large quantities of roof water or surface runoff is available within a very short period of heavy rainfall, the use of trench/ pits is made to store the water in a filter media and subsequently recharge to ground water through specially constructed recharge wells.