2.2. Promoting Rainwater Harvesting

Let us look a small example here in Bangladesh; people are battling with arsenic, arsenic contamination of groundwater. So they used to have surface water for drinking, but surface water was contaminated by pathogens waterborne disease like if you are consuming surface water you can get diarrhoea, dysentery. So in 1980s they started to install hand pumps in rural areas in Bangladesh to promote.

In Bangladesh, there is a serious problem with clean drinking water due to arsenic contamination. Residents initially relied on surface water, which is vulnerable to germs and can cause diseases such as diarrhea and dysentery. In response to this issue, the government and organizations began installing hand pumps in the 1980s to provide people with cleaner drinking water. However, over time, many of these hand pumps also became contaminated with arsenic, posing further health risks to the population.

Imagine a community that installs new water wells to avoid drinking unsafe, contaminated river water. However, after a few years, it turns out that the wells are bringing up polluted water. It illustrates the importance of not just any solution, but a safe and sustainable one for the long-term health of the community.

Now what to do with this is the simple solution somebody is saying that rainwater harvesting is not that expensive. But you can just preserve the water from your rooftop during the rainy season, and you can preserve it for dry season, and you can use it okay. We can go for this technological matter in later on.

One proposed solution to the water contamination problem in Bangladesh is rainwater harvesting. This method involves collecting rainwater from rooftops during the rainy season and storing it for use during the drier months. It's an inexpensive and effective way to ensure a safe water supply, potentially reducing reliance on contaminated groundwater and improving public health.

Think of rainwater harvesting like saving money in a piggy bank. You collect the rainwater when it’s plentiful (like getting a paycheck) and use it when needed, ensuring you always have resources even in dry times. Just like having savings can provide security, harvested rainwater can ensure a reliable supply of clean water.

But let us focus, consider that this is a symbolic disaster or preventive mechanism or environmental risk preventive mechanism. Now this is Bangladesh, so if only one person is doing as I am saying it would not work, what we need to do is that we need to promote this technology one after another. So more and more people should install these small tank at their own house, it is a household tank.

For rainwater harvesting to be effective, it's important that it is adopted widely by the community. If only a few individuals install rainwater tanks, it won't create a significant impact on the overall water situation. Therefore, the promotion of this technology needs to be systematic and comprehensive, encouraging households to set up their own rainwater tanks.

Consider a neighborhood where neighbors learn about recycling together. If only one family recycles, they won't make a noticeable difference. But if the entire neighborhood commits to recycling, they significantly reduce waste and promote sustainability. Similarly, collective efforts in rainwater harvesting can help significantly improve water availability and quality for all.

So everybody should every household should have this one only then we can do it right like this. So if we can able to encourage millions of people to install this rainwater harvesting tank, then it will be significantly reduce the drinking water risk in Bangladesh. So this is our challenge as a planner right.

If millions of households in Bangladesh adopt rainwater harvesting, it can greatly reduce the risks of waterborne illnesses associated with contaminated water sources. This large-scale implementation presents a significant challenge for planners and community leaders, who need to effectively encourage participation across the population.

Think of a vaccination program where if enough people get vaccinated, harmful diseases can be eradicated. This collective immunity protects the larger community. Similarly, widespread adoption of rainwater harvesting system can protect communities from health risks linked to contaminated water.

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