Metrowater throws up rainwater harvesting challenge

With depleting water table causing concern, civic authorities here have hit upon the idea of throwing up the "rainwater harvesting challenge" seeking to leverage the internet trends to create awareness on harnessing the vital natural resource.

Ahead of the monsoon, Chennai Metro Water has come up with the initiative on the lines of the popular 'Fitness Challenge' and others to encourage people to better maintain the existing RWH structures and set them up in new buildings to help improve groundwater levels and its quality.

The 'rainwater harvesting challenge' is all about encouraging people to post photographs of their RWH structures on Metrowater's Facebook page so that it could have a multiplier effect in motivating people.

"We are asking residents to post images of their RWH structures, along with themselves in the Facebook page of Metrowater. This is a new initiative aimed at encouraging people to better main existing structures and install new ones," an official said adding the best entries will win prizes.

To create greater awareness about the need for RWHS, rallies led by school children are being contemplated at the local level.

Walls of Metrowater buildings and government buildings will feature paintings on RWHS, aspects like how to put up new ones and maintain them well and its importance in recharging water.

Also, Metrowater engineers have begun the task of inspecting the RWHS and their maintenance.

"If there are any shortcomings in maintenance, guidance is given by engineers to correct them; pamphlets are being issued as well."

All such initiatives were being taken up to help the city harvest as much water as possible ahead of the Northeast monsoon season.

To a question, the official said maintenance of RWHS is important. The quality of water in areas with functional RWHS like Anna Nagar has seen good improvement, he said.

A rally will be held at the Marina beach here to create awareness about the need for RWHS.

Most of the nine lakh Metrowater connections in Chennai city have RWHS, the official said adding "whether such structures are fully functional is a question. When all of them are properly maintained, it will create wonders."

The department is conducting Open House meetings every month to clear doubts in the minds of the people and also to guide them.

In 2003, the Tamil Nadu government had made RWH structures mandatory in all the buildings to augment ground water resources.