Rooftop rainwater harvesting is the most common practice in Shillong, Meghalaya. It is interesting because Cherrapunji and Mawsynram situated at a distance of 55 km. from Shillong receive the highest rainfall in the world, yet the state capital Shillong faces acute shortage of water. Nearly every household in the city has a rooftop rainwater harvesting structure. Nearly 15-25 percent of the total water requirement of the household comes from rooftop water harvesting. Here, a 200-year-old system of tapping stream and spring water by using bamboo pipes, is prevalent. About 18-20 litres of water enters the bamboo pipe system, gets transported over hundreds of metres, and finally reduces to 20-80 drops per minute at the site of the plant.

Rainwater Harvesting tank in Shillong _{Image Courtesy: Wikipedia}

Rainwater Harvesting in Shillong

Some of the learners also asked:
How was rainwater harvested in Bengal during ancient times?