Tamil Nadu issues guidelines for rainwater harvesting structures
The Municipal Administration and Water Supply Department has released new rules for building and maintaining rainwater harvesting systems across the state.
The Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department has released new instructions for building, maintaining, and restoring rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems in Tamil Nadu, according to The Hindu.
These guidelines follow a proposal from the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board and aim to improve sustainable water management. The state government began an RWH awareness campaign in October to encourage public participation.
An expert committee including officials from the Directorate of Municipal Administration, the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, and Chennai Metrowater finalised the proposals. These will be used to enforce building rules and RWH requirements on all premises.
In a government order issued on Monday, the MAWS Department told district collectors and local bodies to work with other agencies to implement these measures. The guidelines include methods for harvesting water from rooftops, open wells, or recharge wells based on local soil layers.
The instructions specify different RWH methods for various buildings and public areas. They also state that storage structures, such as percolation ponds and check dams, must undergo desilting to recharge groundwater.
Rainwater harvesting has been compulsory in Tamil Nadu since 2002. The MAWS Department has also directed government institutions to appoint officials to oversee the upkeep of RWH structures.