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A National Program for Large Scale Rainwater Harvesting: An Individual or Public Responsibility?

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  • Uende Gomes
  • Léo Heller
  • João Pena

Abstract

Rooftop rainwater harvesting systems for human consumption represent an alternative among individual technologies of water supply. However, this solution should not be treated exclusively as an emergency and pro-poor alternative when it is applied in the form of public policy intended for supplying water to rural populations of semi-arid regions. By aiming at the assessment of the role that this type of solution represents for rural populations, this study evaluates the Brazilian rainwater harvesting program which has already constructed 372,000 cisterns with a storage capacity of 16 m 2 of water. A survey covering 623 beneficiaries of this program in 68 municipalities located across the state of Minas Gerais revealed that obstacles in terms of the articulation of water supply and health programs remain for the success of the program. In addition, the adoption of appropriate practices involved in the handling of the different components of the program depends on improving the awareness among the beneficiaries. This represents one of the major challenges for the effectiveness of the program. The present study indicates that the precarious living conditions of the population who beneficiates from the Brazilian rainwater harvesting program impose a major challenge to the overall effectiveness of the program and increases the level of involvement and responsibility on the part of the government. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2012

Suggested Citation

  • Uende Gomes & Léo Heller & João Pena, 2012. "A National Program for Large Scale Rainwater Harvesting: An Individual or Public Responsibility?," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 26(9), pages 2703-2714, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:26:y:2012:i:9:p:2703-2714
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-012-0041-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Adel Al-Salaymeh & Issam Al-Khatib & Hassan Arafat, 2011. "Towards Sustainable Water Quality: Management of Rainwater Harvesting Cisterns in Southern Palestine," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 25(6), pages 1721-1736, April.
    2. Md. Islam & F. Chou & M. Kabir & C. Liaw, 2010. "Rainwater: A Potential Alternative Source for Scarce Safe Drinking and Arsenic Contaminated Water in Bangladesh," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 24(14), pages 3987-4008, November.
    3. Olanike Aladenola & Omotayo Adeboye, 2010. "Assessing the Potential for Rainwater Harvesting," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 24(10), pages 2129-2137, August.
    4. H. Ishaku & M. Majid & Foziah Johar, 2012. "Rainwater Harvesting: An Alternative to Safe Water Supply in Nigerian Rural Communities," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 26(2), pages 295-305, January.
    5. David Baguma & Willibald Loiskandl & Helmut Jung, 2010. "Water Management, Rainwater Harvesting and Predictive Variables in Rural Households," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 24(13), pages 3333-3348, October.
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    1. Mahmoud, Wifag Hassan & Elagib, Nadir Ahmed & Gaese, Hartmut & Heinrich, Jürgen, 2014. "Rainfall conditions and rainwater harvesting potential in the urban area of Khartoum," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 89-99.
    2. Gabriel Yoshino & Lindemberg Fernandes & Júnior Ishihara & Adnilson Silva, 2014. "Use of rainwater for non-potable purposes in the Amazon," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 16(2), pages 431-442, April.

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