With the monsoon hitting various parts of the country, here is how you can make your own rainwater harvesting system at home.

Install a rain barrel One of the easiest ways to harvest rainwater is through a rain barrel. You can make your own using a large trash can or an old drum.

Then link it to a pipe fitted to collect rainwater from the rooftop and verandah of the house. To prevent the barrel from becoming a mosquito breeding ground, fasten a tight-fitting top to it.

Create a rain garden Another method of tapping the rainwater is by growing your own rain garden. A rain garden is a sunken landscape that uses native plants, local soil, and mulch to remove pollutants from water, and allows it to percolate into the ground.

Make your own DIY rain chain The rain chain is an environment-friendly and beautiful accessory that helps to avoid runoffs by transporting rainwater from the collecting pipe downwards to a drain or to a storage container.

Recharge your wells and borewells In this method, rooftop rainwater is led through pipes with a filter at the end to open dug wells for replenishing underground water. Usually, a recharge pit is a metre in diameter and 6 metres deep and is lined with concrete rings having perforations helping to de-silt the water.

Set up a splash block A splash block helps in diverting the flowing rainwater away from the structure’s foundation. It is a rectangular block of plastic or concrete placed below the downspout that carries rainwater from the roof.

It soaks up the impact of water being redirected from the roof, while also safeguarding the garden against the erosive power of the cascading water to prevent any digging holes.

Build a rain saucer Looking like umbrellas fitted upside down on a barrel, rain saucers are a fast DIY way to collect rainwater without much hassle. The rain saucer unfolds to form a funnel which fills the containers relatively fast and easily.

A reservoir for rain The most simplest and effective way of tapping the rain is by storing it and using it in daily chores. You can simply build a reservoir for the water that runs down the roofs and pipes. Screen it for any larger particles, and use it while minimising the use of underground water.

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