community rainwater harvesting

P. Daniels, K. Grande, E. Hubbard, N. Kulkarni

How longwould you

wait for water ?

There isn’t enough water for slum residents.

rainwater harvesting

Location: Dharavi, Mumbai, India

Dh

aravi reside

nt

Mu

mb

ai reside

nt

Am

erican

tap water is available for 3 hours per day

lack of sewage systems account for high rates of water-borne disease

Over half the people in Mumbai live in slums

“We used to go in search of water at 3:30 in the morning and collect three or four handaas by seven o’ clock.”

“We cannot get taps officially. We have filled in forms so many times but the municipality throws them away.”

“When we wash bed sheets, blankets etc., we need to buy water worth nearly 50 rupees.”

“There are times when we do not get water for a couple of days in a row.”

Environment & Urbanization 2003

“On days when there is no tap water, they jack up the price to 9-10 rupees for a can.”

quantity

not quality

a complex setup

rainwater harvesting

tap water from municipal sources

domestic waste

industrial waste

artificial—tankers from outside

governmental influence needed

behavioral change necessary

substantial contamination

expensive, unsustainable

the link to a sustainable water supply

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J F M A M J J A S O N D

Rai

nfa

ll A

vera

ge (

mm

)Dharavi rainfall

Kumbharwada

Dharavi’s pottery district

water and pottery

overview of solution

rainwater falls on roofs

collected by gutters

flows into pits or tanks

available for bathing, dishes, laundry

water available beyond monsoon season

pits as rainwater tanks

gutters as rainwater collectors

target marketsSt

age

1

pilot regionpottery district

Stag

e 2

entire slumDharavi

Stag

e 3

other slumsworldwide

business model

partner with local

organization

set up payment

installment plan

install systems

recover costs

rainwater belongs to everyone

in the field now

receiving feedback

from potters

partnering with local

organizations

a sustainable solutionsimple design

doesn’t depend on government

uses local materials

minimal behavioral changes needed

improves health

community-based solution

Thank you to our teammates in India: Hansa, Sachin, and Nandini

Kaleel Ahmed

Anita Kulkarni

Adam Van Sickle

Jamie Mosel

Jordan Shuck

acknowledgments