While the short rain season is not yet with us, rains have been drenching parts of the country including Nairobi in the past few days. And, as is always the case, the rainwater has literally been going down the drain.
Yet rainwater harvesting at the micro level does not require sophisticated technology. It needs a roof to capture the water, cast iron guttering to collect and transport the water and tanks for storage. Gutters and tanks are relatively affordable.
The 2009 census report showed that rainwater harvesting remains a strange phenomenon to most people, especially the urbanites.
Households should be encouraged to adopt rainwater harvesting as a solution to water insecurity.
Of course, there are challenges, more so health risk exposure. The water should not be harvested from asbestos roofs since asbestos increases exposure to cancer.
Sadly, little is heard of the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority established under the Water Act 2016 to, among other things, come up with a water harvesting policy.
A policy requiring that all buildings be fixed with rainwater collection systems is necessary. Secondly, the public needs to be sensitised on the value of rainwater harvesting. Not all rainwater should end up in rivers, lakes and the Indian Ocean.
Quote of the Day: “Experience is a great advantage. The problem is that when you get the experience, you’re too damned old to do anything about it.”
Jimmy Connors
The American tennis legend (8-time Grand Slam winner) was born on September 2, 1952.
