The Pandit residence

Gautam Pandit and his family in Richmond Town had only finished installing their 5,000-litre rain barrel two days earlier when a heavy downpour fell.  “We could have filled another two barrels that night. The barrel just overflowed”, Gautam says.  They didn’t need to draw from their Cauvery connection for the following 8 days.  Their RWH system is also set up to allow water from the rain barrel to pass through a filter then enter into their drinking water sump.  Gayatri Pandit, who was initially hesitant to consume rainwater, was impressed with the quality of their rainwater and commented that it was “straight from heaven”.

The family’s perception of the rain barrel itself changed after experiencing the benefits it provides.  They originally found its size of 2m tall by 2m wide imposing, though today they find that it fits very well in their garden.

Key Metrics:

• Total roof area harvested   -   200 square meters
• RWH system installed   -   5,000-litre rain barrel and storage in existing sump after RWH filter
• Estimated household water demand   -   600 litres/day
• Days serviced by rainwater   –   135 days/year
• Projected rainwater capture   -   81,000 litres/year
• System cost   –   Rs. 50,000