MUMBAI: The much-debated rain water harvesting (RWH) system, that can play a crucial role in cities like Mumbai, has yet to gather momentum. 
Experts in the field believe RWH can play a key role in arresting floods. Water harvesting has proved that it not only improves ecology but also solves water shortage, says Suprabha Marathe, an expert on RWH with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). However, she laments that there are not many takers for the scheme in Mumbai. 

Marathe said BMC had carried out an amendment in the Mumbai Municipal Act whereby all future residential and commercial complexes would have to install water harvesting mechanisms. 

Marathe said at present there are 200-odd housing societies in the financial capital that use water harvesting techniques. However, old societies are reluctant to implement it. 

Jayant Kulkarni, an expert with an NGO in RWH, told FE that Mumbai-based Borewells International had executed numerous projects at the Andheri Sports Complex, Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivli. This apart, the RWH project has been implemented at Hiranandani, Powai for 15 lakh litres. In addition, 50 projects are underway in Mumbai, including one at the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport depot at Colaba in South Mumbai. However, he added that the civic body had failed to advocate concrete measures to popularise the concept. 

Marathe said Sumida city in Tokyo had implemented RWH after a flood left its residents without drinking water for weeks. In Bonn, households are made to pay a tax per square meter of paved area unless they implement RWH to control urban floods and prevent sewer overloading. However, not much efforts has gone into popularising RWH in Mumbai, she noted. 

Rain water harvesting can play a big role in Mumbai, as it has the potential to provide at least 50% of city’s water requirements, said Manu Kumar Shrivastava, additional municipal commissioner.

Posted online: Monday, August 21, 2006 at 0000 hours IST 

URL :Few takers for rainwater harvesting in Mumbai