Campaign to collect rainwater this monsoon

A new initiative is urging Bengalureans to get ready to store rainwater and recharge aquifers this monsoon season. It is called #Readyfortherains.

The campaign is calling on individuals and citizen groups to clean their rainwater harvesting systems (RWH), install the set up if they don’t already have one in place, and desilt drains and lakes.

“The southwest monsoon usually hits Bengaluru by June 5. We have over 45 days to prepare ourselves to collect the rainwater. We have seen the water crisis this year. If this doesn’t wake us up, what will?” asks Vishwanath S, a water conservationist and urban planner. He is a trustee with Biome Environmental Trust, which initiated the campaign a week ago.

Climate patterns like the La Nina and Indian Ocean Dipole seem to promise a good monsoon this year, Vishwanath has posted on his social media. The India Meteorological Department has predicted above-normal rainfall this year.

Busting a misconception, Vishwanath says it’s not too late to install RWH systems and recharge pits. “A basic RWH system can be set up in a week and a recharge well can take up to 10-12 days,” he says.

Vishwanath reminds everyone that an RWH system is not a matter of choice in Bengaluru — it is mandatory. In 2011, the government mandated RWH for new houses built on 60x40 feet or larger plots. In 2021, RWH was made mandatory for new constructions on 30x40 feet sites. The rule for 60x40 ft and larger plots was enforced retrospectively.

The Trust is spreading the message via social media and through volunteer organisations like India Cares Foundation, and Friends of Lakes.