Author : Suresh D

Yes I seriously would love to know the answer to the above question.

For enough has been said and written about the benefits of rainwater harvesting but I still fail to see any serious takers for it. While the benefits of rainwater harvesting are proclaimed every year from every rooftop (pun intended), the percentage that actually implements it i fear to say is very low.

D&D Ecotech, has been in the RWH business for more than 2 years now, and during the time I have had the good fortune to meet varied clients right from bungalow owners to steel factory companies. Presentations have been made to Managing Directors and Managing Committees on how a one time investment can give them benefits for a lifetime, but somehow the one time investment always seems high.

What could be the actual reason many companies back out from the same. I'd like to share a few thoughts on the same based on our experience.
 

Lack of approach by senior management

Going green is the new mantra nowadays and many CSR depts (yes they do exist) depute their youngest trainees and joinees to prepare a report on how the company should go green (perhaps it to give them some work to do). These young trainees in all their enthusiasm start researching the web (where else) for all they can learn about going green. Here's where rainwater harvesting catches their attention and they call us for detailed presentations and discussions along with site visits. A process that takes 1-2 months by when they are fairly inducted into the company and deputed to handle bigger and better projects, while the tedious report prepared by the trainee remains just a  report till someone else joins and is given the task again as the report is now old. so the cycle continues.

A solution to this, its time companies deputed senior officers if they are really serious about rainwater harvesting or else it will remain only on paper.
 

How will we get the water we recharge into the ground

Love thy neighbour no longer seems one of the commandments as companies today want to know how will groundwater recharging affect their bottom-lines. Most of the companies want the groundwater recharge process to benefit them directly, with every drop of water being accounted for. Something I am afraid no one can gaurantee. With no immediate direct benefit visible, the plans then remain only on paper.
 

Why does it cost so much

While plants and machineries are justifiable costs for their direct relation with productivity and output, a rainwater harvesting structure seems very expensive in comparision, no matter that its made from the same brick n mortar that their factories are made of. The logic being that if some thing is not giving immediate benefits then it should cost less. Right?

Well we have no answer to this and just hope that better sense prevails..

 
(To be continued in subsequent blogs)