Determination of Rainwater Harvesting Potential: A Case Study from Ege University

Abstract

Rainwater is a valuable resource that provides numerous benefits. The necessity of collecting and reusing rainwater has increased in cities where the effects of climate change are prominent. With little effort and a relatively high initial construction cost, harvesting rainwater can be a cost-effective benefit. In addition to its economic benefits it is an environmentally friendly process that prevents the rainwater from going to waste. In this research the roofs of 24 buildings in an area around Ege University Central Campus (Izmir, Turkey), which has a Mediterranean climate, were selected for a pilot project. The amount of rainwater to be harvested was calculated to be 16.570,30 m3. This study determined that the potential rainwater to be harvested from the research area throughout the year could provide 11% of the water required for irrigation of the existing green areas throughout the year and 20% of the water required for irrigation from April to October. Therefore, considering the ratio of the potential rainwater that was harvested during the summer season to the potential rainwater amount that could be harvested throughout the year, this experiment showed the potential benefits of storing the harvested rainwater in the rainy spring and winter seasons throughout the year.