Water is our lifeline. Sadly, the earth’s water resources are depleting with each passing year. Due to the rising population, industrialization, and excessive consumption of water to suit our ever-expanding modern lifestyle, the dearth of water is a rising concern all over the world. Water is a resource often taken for granted, at least until the shortages hit home. And with rising global warming and the groundwater level dipping year after year, the scarcity is sure to hit hard in the future.
Despite all technological advancements, we cannot generate more water artificially. All life on earth depends on the limited water sources available on the planet. Thus, water conservation is of utmost importance.
Rainwater harvesting is an excellent way to conserve water and reuse it. Not only does it benefit the environment, but can also help you save money in the long run. With rainwater harvesting systems, you can now utilise the rainwater to cater to your daily water needs and become a water-wise warrior.
So, should you invest in rainwater harvesting systems? Read this article to learn more about this process and its pros and cons.
What is rainwater harvesting?
Rainwater harvesting is gathering water from the rain and storing it for future usage.
This simple process involves the collection and storage of rainwater with the aid of artificially designed systems. These rainwater harvesting systems often use catchment areas to hold the rainwater. These catchments can be natural such as hill slopes. Or, they can be man-made, like rooftops, sloppy compounds, rocky surfaces, or artificially repaired impervious or semi-pervious land surfaces.
This collected rainwater can later be filtered, stored and utilized in different ways such as cleaning, industrial purposes, construction, etc.
The advantages and disadvantages of rainwater harvesting
Though rainwater harvesting is beneficial for the most part, there are many cons attached to it as well. So, here’s a comprehensive overview of all the advantages and disadvantages of having rainwater harvesting at home to help you make the correct decision.
1. Advantages of rainwater harvesting
Reduced water bills
The simplest answer to the question ‘what are the advantages of rainwater harvesting?’ is reduced water bills. The best thing about having rainwater harvesting is that you can cater to all your non-drinking water functions. For families, this can translate to a significant reduction in utility bills. Plus, if you install a purifier, you can take care of your drinking water needs as well, thereby reducing the burden on groundwater.
Moreover, many state governments are offering financial assistance and water bill rebates for the installation of harvesting units. This, along with the 9i lowered home loan interest rates, makes the option highly attractive.
Lowers the chances of soil erosion and floods
Preventing soil erosion is another key advantage of rainwater harvesting. With most rainwater getting collected in tanks, there’s way less water run-off to contribute to floods. This can be especially beneficial to people living in low-lying areas, where floods can be exceptionally devastating.
Besides that, rainwater harvesting also minimises soil erosion. This is good for the vegetation and results in cleaner water bodies, as lesser quantities of soil laden with fertilisers and pesticides enter the flowage.
2. Disadvantages of rainwater harvesting
While rainwater harvesting greatly benefits the environment, it has some challenges. But what are the disadvantages of rainwater harvesting? Let us look at three of them.
High initial cost
Though rainwater harvesting can save you a lot of bucks in the long run, the initial cost of installation is high. This is one disadvantage of rainwater harvesting that discourages people from adopting it. It includes setting up a collection tank, storage tank, pipes, etc. However, if you still want to engage in sustainable practices, you can always top-up your home loan to cover the cost.
Regular upkeep
Other than the initial cost, you also need to look after your harvesting system to ensure clean and healthy water, which may require you to regularly change filters and clean pipes and tanks. However, you can invest in self-cleaning tanks to minimise upkeep efforts and costs.
Unpredictable rainfalls
Rainwater harvesting, as is evident in the name, depends upon rainfall for water supply. And at the end of the day, rainfall is a natural event that can never be accurately predicted. So, a weak monsoon can limit the supply of water. As a result, many rainwater harvesters still need to pay for a municipal water line to ensure adequate water supply throughout the year.
Over to you
With reduced bills and load on the environment, rainwater harvesting is undoubtedly a good sustainable practice. Even though the initial costs are high, the savings, in the long run, make it worth the investment.
However, if you don’t have the finances to invest, you can always count on Tata Capital’s competitive loans to help you out. Apply for our loans today to get easy home loan eligibility, fast disbursals, and top-quality service.
Use Tata Capital’s home loan EMI calculator to start planning for your loans today!
02 July 2024
5 mins read
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