Coimbatore leads with innovative rainwater reuse model, sets example for Tamil Nadu

Chennai, Sep 23 (IANS) The Coimbatore Corporation's innovative rainwater reuse model is showing promising results, positioning the city as a pioneer in sustainable water management in Tamil Nadu.

Unlike most government buildings across the state that have adopted rainwater harvesting (RWH) primarily for groundwater recharge, the corporation introduced a system to directly store and reuse rainwater for non-potable purposes at its Town Hall headquarters in July.

The tank constructed exclusively for this purpose was nearly filled by the rain in September, demonstrating the effectiveness of the model.

Following this success, the corporation is preparing to extend the initiative to all five zonal offices, aiming to reduce dependence on borewell water and promote sustainable practices in urban areas.

The system has been designed to harvest rainwater from a built-up area of about 25,000 square feet through 40 collection points.

The tank has a capacity of 1.08 lakh litres, supported by a European filtration mechanism, and can provide water for nearly 10 weeks.

An additional ground-level tank with a capacity of one lakh litres is also planned to further strengthen the system's storage capacity.

The model incorporates a filtration system with a removable dirt-collecting basket, ensuring easy maintenance and long-term efficiency.

The stored rainwater is used for daily non-potable needs, which amount to over 8,000 litres. To maintain balance, excess water from the tank is diverted into a groundwater recharge system located next to the borewell. This dual approach, the reuse of rainwater and recharge of groundwater, ensures optimal use of natural resources while minimising wastage.

The system also addresses challenges often seen during the monsoon, when surplus water leads to flooding or is drained off into stormwater channels.

By demonstrating the practicality of rainwater reuse alongside recharge, Coimbatore has set a benchmark in water management.

If replicated across other cities, this model has the potential to transform how urban centres in Tamil Nadu conserve and utilise rainwater, particularly during the monsoon season.

--IANS

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