Harvesting the Rain

By Raina Andrea Quibral

WHAT IS
RAINWATER HARVESTING?

The accumulating and storing, of rainwater to provide

drinking water, water for livestock, water for irrigation or
to refill aquifers in a process called groundwater
recharge. Rainwater collected from the roofs of houses,
tents and local institutions, can make an important
contribution to the availability of drinking water.
 The Problem With Scarcity

• Only 1% of the total water resources on earth are available for human use.
• While 70% of the world’s surface is covered by water, 97.5% of that is salt water. Of the remaining
2.5% that is freshwater, almost 68.7% is frozen in ice caps and glaciers.
• Canada controls about 20% of the Earth's fresh water.
• Up to 30% of fresh water supplies are lost due to leakage in developed countries, and in some major
cities, losses can run as high as 40% to 70%.
• About 90% of sewage and 70% of industrial wastes in developing countries are discharged into water
courses without treatment, often polluting the usable water supply.
•A person living in Sub-Saharan Africa uses about 10-20 (2.6-5.26 gallons) litres of water a day; on
average, a Canadian uses 326 litres (86 gallons) a day.
Source: thewaterproject.org
WHY NOT COLLECT RAIN?

Rainwater is some of the most

effectively clean water that
one can possibly get.

It is most suitable where ...

•Groundwater is scarce
•Groundwater is contaminated
•Terrain is rugged or mountainous
seismic & flooding events are
common
•The aquifer is at risk of saltwater
intrusion
•Electricity & water prices are
rising
•Water is too hard or mineral laden
•Consumers must restrict
salt/chlorine intake
•Where utility service is unreliable

... and where ...

•Conservation is an objective
THREE COMPONENTS OF AN EFFECTIVE
RAINWATER COLLECTOR SYSTEM:
•Catchment area
•Conveyance System
•Storage area
KOREA

U.S.

INDIA TANZANI
SRI LANKA JAPAN
A
 Practical Advantages of RWH

•Availability not subject to outside utility control

•Not subject to pipelines interruption (seismic)
•Quality is controlled by the consumer
•Available even when power is interrupted
•Reduces run-off and erosion
•Available even when storms & disaster strike
•Available immediately for fire suppression
•Reduces mosquito breeding grounds (Dengue Fever)
•Thermal mass can naturally cool buildings
•Ideal for people on low sodium diets or with health concerns
(weakened immunity systems)

Qualitative Advantage of RWH

•Naturally pure
•Naturally soft (no dissolved minerals)
•Free for those who collect it
•Sustainable
•Free of chlorine and its byproducts
•Free of pesticides and other man-
made contaminants
•Abundantly available in tropical
countries
 Issue on Ownership

• In the State of Colorado, USA, under the legal doctrine of “Prior

Appropriation,” it is illegal for someone to capture rainwater
because it is preventing water from reaching a river, whose
supplies are already allocated and owned by someone---those
who bought the rights to the waterways.
Source: Riccardi, Nicholas, “Who Owns Rainwater?”, Los Angeles Times

•The first person to use a quantity of water from a water source

for a beneficial use has the right to continue to use that quantity
of water for that purpose. Subsequent users can use the
remaining water for their own beneficial purposes provided that
they do not impinge on the rights of previous users.
Source: Wyoming v. Colorado, 259 US 459
IN THE PHILIPPINES…

RA 6716, “AN ACT

PROVIDING FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION OF WATER
WELLS, RAINWATER
COLLECTORS,
DEVELOPMENT OF
SPRINGS AND
REHABILITATION OF
EXISTING WATER WELLS IN
ALL BARANGAYS IN THE
PHILIPPINES”, enacted into
law on March 1989,
provides for the
construction of water wells,
rainwater collectors,
development of springs and
rehabilitation of existing water wells in all barangays in the Philippines. A Barangay
Waterworks and Sanitation Association shall be formed to operate and maintain the
rainwater collection facilities.
UPDATES

•Last year, the Global Legal Action on Climate Change (GLACC)

filed a Petition with the SC, invoking the Writ of Kalikasan, to
compel the Malacanang, DPWH and League of Province of the
Philippines to comply with the mandatory provision of RA 6716
•They alleged “gross negligence in the performance of public
duty” because out of 100,000 rainwater catchments required
by the law to be completed in 1991, the DPWH has only
completed four.
•LPP in its defense insists that:
• That Section 5 of Republic Act 6716 is
unconstitutional as it directs and compels local
government units to automatically allocate a portion
of its funds annually for the implementation of this
law.
• The provision, the petitioner said, violates the 1987
Constitution, which ensures autonomy of local
governments as well as fiscal independence.
• The effectivity of RA 6716 had long lapsed because
Section 5 specifically stated that “the total program
shall be completed not later than June 30, 1991.”