June 30, 2016 1:52:33 am
Rainwater harvesting in Somaiya campus at Vidyavihar.
Many colleges are taking steps to deal with the perennial water shortage plaguing the city. Among many others, colleges such as Somaiya Vidyavihar, Vivekananda Education Society and Ruparel College have installed rainwater harvesting systems on their campus.
Set up in June 2010, Somaiya Vidyavihar’s Rs 10 lakh-rainwater harvesting project consists of 10-12 harvesting pits, distributed throughout the campus. The ground and the terraces of the buildings collect water, which is channeled through pipes to pre-defined storage destinations. Not only does this system harvest approximately 9 crore litres of water annually, it also helps in recharging the groundwater level, which is beneficial to the entire city.
“As an institution, we are sensitive to the use of natural resources, and believe that sustainability is possible with planning. Rainwater harvesting is a natural extension of our commitment and contribution to the community,” said Samir Somaiya, the college’s principal.
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Vivekananda Education Society had established its water recycling and rainwater harvesting system back in 2009. It operates sewage treatment plants with an installed capacity of 160 cubic metres and a water recycling capacity of 16,000 litres per day, sufficient to meet the college’s needs. With a rainwater harvesting capacity of 1 lakh litres, VES also has borewells on its campus that contribute in replenishing the water table.
“As an institution committed to zero water wastage and harnessing the power of every drop of this precious commodity, VES has taken certain important measures by installing water recycling plants and rain water harvesting systems,” said Mahesh Tejwani, president, VES.
D G Ruparel College of Arts, Science and Commerce started its rainwater harvesting project in 2008. The project has a capacity of 70,00 litres of water, which is primarily used to maintain the college’s green campus.
