Students' Training Programme Participants’ Note 08

On Water Supply and Waste Management at BIT Dhaka

8. Rain Water Harvesting and Other Technologies

Introduction

There are some areas like coastal belt in the southern part of Bangladesh, the conventional
technologies of shallow and deep tubewells are not always successful due to presence of high
concentration of salinity. Therefore alternative water supply options are needed for those areas.
However, various alternative technologies for problem areas have been developed in Bangladesh
to meet local demands. Some important alternative water supply technologies are:

❑ Shallow Shrouded Tubewell (SST) ,

❑ Very Shallow Shrouded Tubewell (VSST),
❑ Pond Sand Filter (PSF),
❑ Rain Water Harvesting

Shallow Shrouded Tubewell (SST)

In the high saline coastal areas it has been found that fresh water is available in the shallow aquifer
composed of very fine sand at 15 to 20m depth due to accumulation of rainwater in the top most
aquifer. However, grain size and depth of the aquifer are not suitable for installing a normal
tubewell. To get water through these very fine-grained aquifers, envelop of coarse sand is
provided around the screen of the tubewell to prevent entry of fine sand through the screen and
increase yield of the tubewell.

Shallow Shrouded Tube well is a special type of technology followed in installation of hand
tubewell at a relatively shallow depth in a fine sand aquifer bearing fresh water in the coaster belt.

The SSTs are fitted with No.4 handpumps operate under suction mode and have 15 to 20 m depths.
Identification of the existence of fresh water pockets is difficult.

A typical SST with components is shown in Figure 1.

Very Shallow Shrouded Tubewell (VSST)

Very Shallow Shrouded Tubewell (VSST) is a No. 4 handpump tubewell installed about 8m depth
with 2m strainer shrouded with coarse sand. The VSST is designed to collect water from very
shallow aquifer formed by displacement of saline water by continuous flow of accumulated fresh
water. The lenses of fresh water formed by this process are found beneath old ponds in coastal
areas. In many places, ponds dry up but fresh water in shallow aquifers remains beneath the pond.
Immobile preserved aquifers are also found at shallow depths at various locations in the coastal
areas. A VSST is a convenient method for withdrawal of fresh water in limited quantity. In many
places, the water produced by VSST becomes saline due to upcoming of water caused by over-
pumping. Installation of low capacity pumps may prevent over exploitation of shallow aquifers.
The system is considered suitable for drinking water supply for small settlements where water
demand is low. A VSST is not different from SST except the depth of well.

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Handpump
 Students' Training Programme Participants’ Note 08
On Water Supply and Waste Management at BIT Dhaka

Figure 1: A Shallow Shrouded Tubewell (SST)

Pond Sand Filter (PSF)

An alternative and popular option of potable water supply in coastal areas is the Pond Sand Filter
(PSF). A PSF comprises of a handpump and a small sand filter. It is a package type filter unit
developed to treat surface water usually pond water, for domestic use in coastal areas. A typical
PSF is shown in Figure 2.

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 Students' Training Programme Participants’ Note 08
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Handpump for water

Supply to Filter

Raw Water

Clear
Filter
Water in
Sand
Storage
Tank
Coarse
Aggregate

Under Drainage Raw Water

System from Pond
Figure 2: A Pond Sand Filter (PSF)

PSFs are installed near or on the bank of ponds, which do not dry up in the dry season. Pond water
is delivered into the sand filter of PSF through manually operated handpump. As the water passes
through the filter it is purified upon the principle of slow sand filtration and the water is stored in
the storage tank. The treated water is collected through tap(s) attached to the storage tank. This
process takes time and it is expected that the person who is taking water from the storage tank
must replenish the same amount of water into the filter by pumping the handpump. It has been
tested and found that the treated water from a PSF is normally bacteriologically safe or within
tolerable limit.

The problems of PSFs are low discharge rate and difficulties in washing the filter beds. Since these
are small units, community involvement in operation and maintenance is absolutely essential to
keep the system operational.

PSFs are suitable for the coastal belt areas, where tubewells are not successful, because freshwater
aquifers at reasonable depth are not always available and groundwater is grossly saline. PSFs may
also be used as alternative water supply systems for small to medium size settlements in arsenic
affected areas. Although PSF has a very high bacterial removal efficiency, it may not remove
100% pathogen from heavily contaminated surface water. In such cases, the treated water may
require chlorination or boiling to meet drinking water standards.

Rainwater Harvesting

Rainwater harvesting in broad sense can be defined as the collection of runoff for human
consumption. There are various techniques for collection process such as the collection from the
rooftops and the land surface as well as within watercourses. The water thus collected is often used

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 Students' Training Programme Participants’ Note 08
On Water Supply and Waste Management at BIT Dhaka

for different purposes including drinking, cooking, washing, bathing, watering cattle and
agriculture.

In coastal belt and hilly region of Bangladesh, there is scarcity of suitable water sources. The
coastal areas suffer from high salinity in surface and ground waters and the hilly areas suffer from
absence of surface and groundwater sources for the development of dependable water supply
systems. The average annual rainfall in the coastal and hilly regions is more than 3000mm, against
an average rainfall of about 2200 mm in Bangladesh. The collection and storage of rainwater may
be an alternate option of water supply in these areas. Rainwater harvesting is also a potential water
supply option in the acute arsenic affected areas of Bangladesh. There are two main constraints in
development of a completely rainwater based water supply system:

❑ Availability of suitable catchment area

❑ The need for larger storage tank

A large catchment for rainwater collection is needed if the designed water supply is based on
rainwater. Again larger storage reservoir is required to encounter unequal distribution of rainfall
throughout the year.

The advantages and disadvantages of rainwater harvesting over the other water supply scheme are
given in Table 1.

Table 1: Advantages and Disadvantages of Rainwater Harvesting

Advantages Disadvantages
❑ The quality of rainwater is comparatively ❑ The initial cost may prevent a family to
good; install a rainwater harvesting system;
❑ The system is independent and therefore ❑ The water availability is limited by the
suitable for scattered settlements; rainfall intensity and available roof area;
❑ Local materials and craftsmanship can be ❑ Mineral-free rainwater has a flat taste,
used in construction of rainwater which may not be liked by many;
harvesting system; ❑ Mineral-free water may cause nutrition
❑ No energy cost is needed to run the deficiencies in people who are already on
system; mineral deficient diet;
❑ Easy maintenance by the owner / user; ❑ The poorer section of people may not
❑ The system can be located very close to have roofs suitable for rainwater
the consumption points. harvesting.

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 Students' Training Programme Participants’ Note 08
On Water Supply and Waste Management at BIT Dhaka

Rainwater Availability

The average yearly rainfall in Bangladesh varies from 2200 to 2800mm but 75 percent of which
occurs during May to September. The spatial distribution of normal yearly rainfall in Bangladesh
has been shown in Figure 3.
o o
89 o E 90 E 91 o E 92 E

km 50 0 50 km.
< 1500 mm
2000 - 2250 mm
o o
26 N 1500 -1750 mm 26 N
2250 - 2500 mm
1750 -2000 mm
2500 - 2750 mm
MEGHALAYA
(INDIA) > 2750 mm
WEST BENGAL
(INDIA)

25o N 25 o N

24o N 24o N
TRIPURA
(INDIA)

o o
23 N 23 N

WEST BENGAL
( INDIA )

o o
22 N 22 N

BAY OF BEN GA L
MYANMAR
o o
21 N 21 N

Figure 3: Spatial Distributionoof Normal Yearly

o Rainfall in Bangladesh
o
o
89 E 90 E 91 E 92 E
The high rainfall occurs in the eastern part of Bangladesh including eastern part of the coastal area
having the highest rainfall in north-eastern region. The low rainfall, less than 1500mm, occurs in

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 Students' Training Programme Participants’ Note 08
On Water Supply and Waste Management at BIT Dhaka

the western part of Bangladesh. Greater intensity of normal yearly rainfall in the coastal and hilly
areas is favourable for rainwater harvesting. But unequal monthly rainfall distribution over the
year indicates that a water supply system completely based on rainwater requires large rainwater
storage reservoirs.

Rainwater Catchment

Rooftop catchment

The catchment area for rainwater collection is usually the roof, which is connected with a gutter
system to lead rainwater to a storage tank. Rooftop and tank system provides an on-site source of
water supply next to homes or public buildings such as schools or health centers. They can be
constructed wherever there are permanent settlements experiencing difficult water supply
conditions. Usually they require roof areas of more than 30m2, but even smaller areas can provide
a partial supply to relieve some of the burden of fetching water. Figure 4 a shows a schematic
diagram of the rooftop collection system.

Gutter
Storage tank

Figure 4: Rooftop Catchment System

Rainwater can be collected from any types of roof but concrete, tiles and metal roofs give cleanest
water. Roof made of asbestos or painted with lead based paints should be avoided. The C.I. sheet
roofs commonly used in Bangladesh perform well as catchment areas. A thatched roof can also be
used as catchment area by covering it with polyethylene but it requires good skills to guide water
to the storage tank.

In coastal areas, cloths fixed at four corners with a pitcher underneath is used during rainfall for
rainwater collection. But the poorer section of the people in our country have smaller size
thatched roof or no roof at all, which can be used as catchment for rainwater collection.

Land surface catchment

The use of land surface as catchment area and underground gravel/sand packed reservoir, as
storage tank can be an alternative system of rainwater collection and storage. In this case, the water
has to be channelled towards the reservoir and allowed to pass through a sand bed before entering
into underground reservoirs. Ground surfaces are not normally as efficient for collecting rainwater
unless covered with cement or some other material to reduce their infiltration capacity as shown in
Figure 5. This may, however, increase costs of the system.

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 Students' Training Programme Participants’ Note 08
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Surface catchment

Cross gutter

Storage tank
Distribution pipe

Figure 5: Land Surface Catchment System

Coupled with other water systems, surface catchment system can provide a complementary source
of somewhat lower-quality water for non-drinking domestic uses and for livestock.

Rock catchment system

Impermeable bedrock surfaces found within the rocky top slopes or exposed rock outcrops in the
low land landscape often have natural hollows or valleys which can be turned into water reservoirs
by building a dam. These are simple stone walls, up to five meters high, constructed around the
downstream end of hollows or valleys. Stone and mortar gutters may be built across the rock to
channel the runoff water into the dam. Collected rain water may be directed to storage tanks at the
foot of the rock outcrop by gravity. Fig. 6 shows a schematic diagram of the rock collection
system.

Rain Fall

Concrete dam
Water reservoir

Pipe for water

distribution

Figure 6: Rock Catchment System

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 Students' Training Programme Participants’ Note 08
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Quality

Quality of rainwater is good, but it does not mean that rainwater is completely free from
contamination. Wind blown dirt and bird droppings contribute some pollution. The rainwater lacks
mineral salts including fluorides and calcium salts whose presence in water supply is considered
essential in appropriate proportions. The mineral salts in natural ground and surface waters
sometimes impart pleasing taste to water. Conditions of the roof and storage tank are critical in
maintaining quality of rainwater. If the storage tank is completely covered and the organic debris
are prevented from entering into the tank by means of suitable trainer or filter, any bacteria or
parasites carried with the flowing rainwater will tend to die off. Thus rainwater drawn from clean
tank several days after the first rainfall will be of better bacteriological quality than fresh
rainwater.

Rainwater collected from roof after long dry period may carry noticeable amounts of debris arising
from accumulated dust, leaves and bird or animal droppings on the roof and gutter. It is
recommended that water running off the roof during first 10-20 minutes of rainfall should be
discarded. Cleaning of the roof and gutter at the beginning of rainy season and their regular
maintenance, are very important to ensure better quality of rainwater. The storage tank requires
cleaning at least once in a year.

Comparison of Main Technological Options

A comparison of low-cost water supply technological options is shown in Table 2.

Table 2 Comparison among some Conventional Water Supply Technological Options

Different Cost Advantages Disadvantages Status

Technological ( Base in
Options year, ‘98) Bangladesh
Open Dugwell Low ❑ Lowcost ❑ Sanitary protection ❑ Construction has
❑ Free from iron and is difficult. been restricted by
arsenic. ❑ Water collection is large scale
difficult. installation of
tubewells.
No. 6 1,500- ❑ Suitable for ❑ Many tubewells ❑ Well adopted
Handpump 4,000 Tk. favourable shallow producing water throughout the
water table area with high arsenic country.
(upto 7.5 m). content. ❑ No.6 handpump is
❑ Presently private ❑ Water generally promoted by
sector is providing hard, use for UNICEF, DPHE
services and spare bathing and and also private
parts for cooking is sector.
installation, restricted by
maintenance and different
repairing. complaints.
❑ Easy to operate.
Tara 13,000- ❑ Suitable for LWT ❑ More force is ❑ Tried on
Handpump 15,000 zone upto a depth required. experimental basis.
Tk. of 15m of static
water level.
Tara ❑ Buoyancing force ❑ Tara handpump is
Handpump is not always promoted by
available due to UNICEF, DPHE,
leakage in pump UNDP-WB.
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 Students' Training Programme Participants’ Note 08
On Water Supply and Waste Management at BIT Dhaka

Different Cost Advantages Disadvantages Status

Technological ( Base in
Options year, ‘98) Bangladesh
rod. ❑
❑ Provides moderate
output upto 7 m lift
and very low
output upto 12 m
lift.
❑ Repairing/
replacement of any
part is
inconvenient.
❑ Installed mainly
through the public
sector.
Deep Tubewell 50,000- ❑ Deep tubewells are ❑ Mechanical ❑ Deep tubewells are
70,000 usually installed in devices are used promoted by
Tk. saline areas to for construction of UNICEF and
extract water from these tubewells. DPHE.
deep fresh water ❑ The installation
aquifer. cost of deep
tubewell is too
high.
Pond Sand 20,000- ❑ PSF can utilise ❑ O&M and ❑ Tried on
Filter (PSF) 30,000 Tk. surface water and construction of experimental basis.
especially suitable PSF are difficult. ❑ PSF is promoted
for coastal belt and ❑ Performance of by UNICEF and
arsenic affected PSF depends on DPHE.
areas. regular cleaning.
❑ Cost of PSF is
high.
Shallow 4,000- ❑ Extracts sweet ❑ Identification of ❑ Tried on
Shrouded 6,000 Tk. water in saline the existence of experimental basis.
Tubewell belt. fresh water pockets ❑ SST is promoted
(SST) is difficult. by UNICEF and
DPHE.
Very Shallow 3,000- ❑ Extracts sweet ❑ Identification of ❑ Tried on
Shrouded 5,000 Tk. water in saline the existence of experimental basis.
Tubewell belt. fresh water pockets ❑ VSST is promoted
(VSST) is difficult. by UNICEF and
❑ Drilling failure is DPHE.
common.
❑ Lifespan is short.
Rain water 3,000– ❑ Suitable for arsenic ❑ Uneven ❑ Tried in
harvesting 4,500 Tk affected areas. distribution of experimental basis,
(Household) ❑ Free from rainfall throughout but not yet widely
impurities. the year. accepted.

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