1,500 soaking pits to save rainwater: Delhi Govt prepares to harvest million gallons of rainwater

Following this, the government is planning to adopt various models of the Denmark government to improve water supply in the capital.
A rainwater harvesting pit being prepared (left), Deputy CM holds meeting with officials connected with project. (Photo | Express)
A rainwater harvesting pit being prepared (left), Deputy CM holds meeting with officials connected with project. (Photo | Express)

NEW DELHI: In order to make Delhi self-reliant on water and prevent waterlogging during the rainy season, the Delhi government has made preparations to harvest millions of gallons of rainwater. The work to develop over 1,500 new rainwater harvesting pits across the city is moving on war footing and will likely be completed before July 15.

To review the progress of the work, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia held a meeting with senior officials of the Public Works Department (PWD), Delhi Jal Board (DJB), Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Municipal Corporation of Delhi, New Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) and DUSIB on Wednesday.

After inspection and meeting with officials, Sisodia said, “The rainwater is an important natural resource, especially for Delhi because we are dependent on neighbouring states for water. The collection of water through rainwater harvesting pits will help us recharge the groundwater and meet the capital’s water requirements. For this, 1,548 new rainwater harvesting pits are being created. With this, the number of pits in the capital will increase to 2,475. These pits will help us store millions of gallons of water, which is often wasted. This project has a lot of potentials to increase water supply in the city and will help us become self-reliant.”

Recently, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had met with a delegation of experts led by the Ambassador of Denmark to India, Freddy Swain, to study Denmark’s rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge system. The experts had presented a detailed analysis of the country’s efforts on the same. Following this, the government is planning to adopt various models of the Denmark government to improve water supply in the capital.

How do rainwater harvesting pits work?
Rainwater harvesting is a technique of collection and storage of rainwater into natural reservoirs or tanks or the infiltration of surface water into the subsurface levels. One of the effective ways is making rainwater harvesting pits. These are actually soaked pits and during the rains, the rainwater is collected through these pits. Then, the water penetrates into the ground which increases the level of groundwater.

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