More than 30 rainwater harvesting (RWH) structures in the city are missing. They have simply been damaged or buried when roads were laid. This came to light recently when final-year horticulture students of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University carried out a study when they were on internship with the non-government organisation Siruthuli.
Siruthuli had constructed 365 RWH structures at as many places with funds from the Central Ground Water Board of the Government of India and the Coimbatore Corporation.
At the places where the structures have been damaged or buried, rainwater stagnates and goes waste. At a few other places, it enters drain to turn sewage and as a result gets wasted. The complaints of stagnation are from some of the areas where the structures have become dysfunctional, say water harvesting experts.
This comes at a time when the city has been experiencing very good showers under the North-East Monsoon.
Experts say that a rough calculation suggests that if the city harvested at least 75 per cent rainwater falling within the 256 sq.km.
Corporation limits for a year, the water collected will equal a year’s supply of groundwater.
However, much more can be done if the city has 10 RWH structures for 10 sq.km, as is the norm. This translates into 2,560 such structures. The current number is a little over 10 per cent of what is required.
To begin with, the city and water managers should construct at least 100 RWH structures at spots that are prone to inundation, which Siruthuli has identified, suggests Vanitha Mohan, Managing Trustee.
The move will also reduce inundation and the need for using lorries and deploying men to flush out water.
She adds that corporate houses and industries could also participate by sponsoring one or two structures.
Recently, with help from the Coimbatore Corporation, Siruthuli repaired 200 RWH structures.
Sources in the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board say that the officials recently inspected all the government buildings to ensure that they have RWH structures and they were functional at that.
