Can we harvest the rainwater falling on the paved and unpaved areas?
A. Whether the harvested water is used for direct usage or for recharging the groundwater, it is of utmost importance to ensure that the rainwater collected is free of any pollutants that might be added either from the atmosphere or the catchment. While polluted water directly used for consumption would have an immediate impact on health, polluted water recharged into the groundwater would cause long-term problems of aquifer pollution. Damage done to aquifers by recharging polluted water is irreversible. Hence it is advisable not to go in for groundwater recharge in those areas where control over the quality of recharged water is not possible.
