3 rainwater harvesting information centres launched

Three rainwater harvesting information centres that will recommend the type of conservation practices to be adopted and also train plumbers and masons in designing such facilities were launched today.
Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra launched one centre at RK Puram and simultaneously declared the other two open at Dwarka and Lajpat Nagar.
An NGO, working in the water sector, has partnered with the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) to run the centres.
Mishra said that Delhi will have such centres in all the revenue districts this year. He described them as the outcome of a joint consultation between DJB and Dialogue and Development Commission of Delhi.

"The rain centers will recommend types of harvesting based on relevant factors such as soil type, land usage, runoff water quality. There will be hands-on technical help in design and sourcing, training local plumbers and masons, capacity building, and it will also prepare and maintain local RWH (rain water harvesting)," Mishra said.
Water body DJB supplies approximately 900 MGD (million gallons per Day) of water from surface and groundwater sources in the national capital, which is further supplemented by groundwater withdrawal from private tube wells to the extent of around 150-200 MGD.
"Delhi receives an average annual rainfall of 611 mm. This translates to about 66 per cent of the daily water supplied by DJB. Harvesting of a fraction of this rainfall would augment water supply considerably," an official statement said.