Rainwater Harvesting System Planning for Tanzania

Abstract

Water scarcity is a challenge in many parts of the world including Tanzania. Collecting rainwater wherever it falls from the sky should be considered as valuable technique in areas struggling to cope with potable water needs. The current water shortage in Arusha, Tanzania, is badly affecting the living standards due to the increasing water demands of a growing population. In this study, information based on the context of average number of household, land use, water use and mean monthly rainfall is used in planning and design of the system. The present paper demonstrates analysis for designing a domestic rainwater harvesting system, which identifies the relationship between rainwater potential, demand and storage capacity by bridging demand–supply gap. Rainwater harvesting systems can be adopted where municipal water supply systems have failed to meet community’s requirements.