Rainwater Harvesting

According to the EPA, rainwater harvesting has significant potential to provide environmental and economic benefits by reducing stormwater runoff and conserving potable water. Resources available in this sub-theme include training materials on rainwater roof catchments and guidance on how to design ground level storage tanks, among other resources that support the practice of rainwater harvesting.

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Rainwater Harvesting Resources

City of San Diego Rainwater Harvesting Guide

The National Institutes for Water Resources
Rainwater harvesting is a technique dating back to the Greek and Roman empires, where sophisticated collection and storage systems were used to capture rainwater for a variety of domestic and agricultural uses. As civilization became more urbanized and the demand for quantities of purified water...Read more
Regional focus: 
United StatesNorth America

Using Rainwater to Grow Communities: Successful Public Education Systems

National Water Research Institute
A one page overview of the benefits of educating students about rainwater and storm water.Read more

Using Rainwater to Grow Livable Communities: Regulatory and Incentive Systems

National Water Research Institute
A one page overview of the incentives that can be used to motivate municipality residents to save water and implement sustainable water practices.Read more

Rain Barrel Water Harvesting Guide

National Water Research Institute
A 6-page "how-to" guide on the basic principles of rain barrel water harvesting and information about installing your own system. This guide was prepared for the Nogales Rainwater Harvesting Open House.Read more

City of Tucson Water Harvesting Guidance Manual

National Water Research Institute
This manual describes a process for evaluating site characteristics and developing integrated designs in which water harvesting enhances site Productivity and Efficiency, sustainability and aesthetics. Water harvesting techniques and principles are described, followed by example designs.Read more

The Texas Manual on Rainwater Harvesting

National Water Research Institute
This manual describes a process for setting up rainwater harvesting across Texas geographies.Read more

Rainwater Harvesting and Disaster Management

The National Institutes for Water Resources
The cities of Japan responding to natural disasters through rainwater harvesting Japan not among the list.Read more

Training in Rainwater Catchment for Sanru -- 86 Village Health Workers and Peace Corps Volunteers

Published: 
March 18, 1984
U.S. Agency for International Development
A 10-day workshop which trained 10 village health workers (VHW's) attached to A.I.D.'s SANRU-86 rural health project in Zaire and 9 Peace Corps Volunteers in construction of rainwater catchment (RWC) systems is herein described. The trainees learned how to evaluate the technical...Read more
Regional focus: 
Congo, Democratic Republic of theSub-Saharan Africa

Proceedings of Bhutan's National Water Symposium 2017

Published: 
July 16, 2021
With support from the USAID-funded WWF Asia High Mountains Project, UWICER organized Bhutan's second National Water Symposium in May 2017. This symposium brought together water resources professionals and agencies to take stock of current water resource knowledge in Bhutan and to identify...Read more
Regional focus: 
Bhutan

Rain and Precipitation

Published: 
July 21, 2021
Rain and snow are key elements in the Earth's water cycle, which is vital to all life on Earth. Rainfall is the main way that the water in the skies comes down to Earth, where it fills our lakes and rivers, recharges the underground aquifers, and provides drinks to plants and animals. Water...Read more
Regional focus: 
United States

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