Use Of Rainwater Research Articles

Assessing the contribution of China's grain production during 2005–2020 from the perspective of the crop-water-land nexus

Water shortages and diversion of arable lands to other uses represent systemic risks to global agricultural production. However, few studies have comprehensively assessed blue-green water and land resources performance in crop cultivation and grain production. This study establishes a crop-water-land nexus accounting framework that distinguishes between blue and green water. Contributions of water and land resources to increases in grain production in China in the years 2005, 2010, 2015 and 2020 were evaluated based on provincial-scale crop-water-land nexus accounting. China produced 580.4 Tg of grain using 805.1 × 103 km2 yr−1 of arable land per year, 76.1 % of which was accounted for by 13 major grain-producing provinces. Annual water consumption in grain production was estimated to be 614.3 × 109 m3, including 183.0 × 109 m3 blue and 431.3 × 109 m3 green water. Albeit with significant spatial variation, land and water resource inputs increased over time. Excluding agronomic improvements, blue water, green water and arable land jointly contributed 65.4 % of the national increase in grain production (185.5 Tg) from 2005 to 2020. Irrigated cropland in major grain-producing provinces dominated grain production increases and national level shifts in water resources over the period studied. The marginal efficiency of blue water (0.784 kg m−3) in grain production was greater than that of green water (0.071 kg m−3). Reclaiming reserve land, upgrading irrigation technology and improving rainwater use efficiency in the provinces along a southwest to northeast axis (e.g., from Heilongjiang to Yunnan), are effective approaches for the country to continue to increase food production in the future.

Rainwater and Greywater as Alternative Water Resources: Public Perception and Acceptability. Case Study in Twelve Countries in the World

The aim of the paper was to identify factors that influence the public perception of the possibility of replacing tap water with rainwater or greywater. In order to check whether a geographical location and water resources of a region affect the public's attitude toward alternative water systems, the surveys were carried out among respondents from twelve countries. The surveys identified the level of awareness among respondents about their country's water resources, ways to save water at home, and their attitudes to rainwater and greywater as additional sources of water in a building. The results showed that only 39% of respondents would not be afraid to use treated greywater in their household. The situation was better in case of replacement of tap water with rainwater, where more than 54% of the respondents were not concerned. The use of alternative sources of water for body washing and cleaning works was the biggest concern among the respondents. In case of greywater recycling, this was indicated by 56% (personal hygiene) and 34% (cleaning works) of respondents. People in the countries with low water resources view alternative water sources more favourably. They are also more aware of, and more likely to accept the use of rainwater or greywater even in uses where they will come into contact with the human body. The research also showed that for more than 3/4 of respondents, funding to install these systems would encourage their use in their household.

The Use of Precipitation in the Cities of the Future—Problems, Barriers and Challenges

Due to climate change and its effects, it becomes indispensable to maximise the use of rainwater in cities. In order to effectively carry out this process in cities, it is essential to organise information and knowledge, and plan an appropriate action strategy. It is necessary to identify not only the strengths and opportunities for introducing solutions to collect and use rainwater in cities, but also the weaknesses and threats. The article presents a SWOT analysis (Strengths—Weaknesses—Opportunities—Threats) for the use of rainwater in the city, compiling comprehensive information and knowledge on this topic. Environmental, social and economic aspects have been taken into account. On its basis, the possibilities, as well as problems, barriers and limitations in the field of introducing the use of rainwater into the fabric of the cities of the future were discussed. The greatest challenges in this area were also identified, providing a basis for further planning of activities.

Greenbuilding and Building Strength: Concept and Evaluation (Case Study in Universitas Negeri Padang)

Buildings are a contributor to the use of energy on earth. This is a concern of the global community, so that it can be managed properly for the future. There are many regulations governing public buildings, but many buildings are designed not to comply with these rules. This study examines the implementation of the green building concept and measures the strength of the Universitas Negeri Padang building structure. The research sample is 5 buildings that are considered to have problems based on the category of building conditions. This research is an evaluation research with a mixed methods approach (qualitative and quantitative). The results showed that the implementation of the green building concept in the Universitas Negeri Padang building was not optimal and needed to be improved, especially in terms of low waste utilization and the lack of use of renewable energy sources and rainwater. Meanwhile, the strength of the concrete in the 5 buildings evaluated was above the average strength standards, and the buildings were eligible to be included in the criteria for environmentally friendly buildings. The results of this study contribute to improving the quality of the Universitas Negeri Padang building as a support towards a world class university and support sustainable development goals.

Increasing rainwater use efficiency, gross return, and grain protein of rain-fed maize under nitrate and urea nitrogen forms

The soil's capability to adjust and mitigate the effects of water shortage due to climate change is limited in some regions such those that suffer from the low rainfall rates. This experimental field study aimed to assess the effects of two inorganic nitrogen forms on maize performance (i.e., growth, yield, grain protein content, and gross returns) and rainwater use efficiency (RUE). Treatments comprised three replicates of synthetic nitrogen forms (i.e., urea and nitrate) that were located in the main plots with four levels that were assigned to the subplots (i.e., 0, 25, 50, and 100 kg N ha-1). Nitrate application resulted in a higher plant height (62 cm) at the vegetative phase with superior values (11.6%) recorded in grain protein than those obtained from other treatments. In addition, the highest grain yield was obtained in nitrate-treated plots in comparison to other N application forms. The leaf area index registered optimal values when 50 kg N ha-1 was applied. On the application of two nitrogen forms, nitrate resulted in a higher RUE (2.1-3.4 kg ha-1 mm-1) than that obtained from maize treated with urea (1.3-1.9 kg ha-1 mm-1). This translated to a 123-234% increase in RUE over the control (N0), which is the key smallholder farmers’ practice. It is recommended that producing maize using nitrate nitrogen at 50 kg N ha-1 as opposed to urea can increase yield stability, and rain use efficiency with higher gross returns in water-scarce agro-ecologies in SSA.

Assessing rainwater use techniques to deal with water shortage

Assessing rainwater use techniques to deal with water shortage

Water demand in university: rainwater harvesting system and COVID-19 crisis influence on water demand

This study investigates the feasibility of implementing a rainwater harvesting system in one of the buildings of the University of Campinas, based on local demand and rainfall regime over three years, as well as simulating the economic potential of drinking water with the use of rainwater for non-potable purposes through Netune 4 software. We also verify a reduction change of 46% in water demand by the suspended activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic, during one year. For the three years analyzed we obtained a Consumption Index of 8.30 L/student/day, while the simulation showed 76.6% of demand met in full. Regarding the pandemic period, the system presented a Reduction Index of 46% with a Consumption Index of 3.82 L/student/day.

Plastic-covered ridge-furrow planting increases pea (Pisum sativum L.) grain yield and rainwater use efficiency

ABSTRACT Drought is the most important cause of plant yield reduction in dry areas. Plastic mulch is one of the methods of maintaining soil moisture in these areas. Therefore, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of plastic mulch and planting beds on rainwater use efficiency and yield in pea over two years. The experimental factors included plastic mulch (without plastic, plastic on the plant, and plastic on the soil) and planting bed (flat planting, planting in a 50 cm furrow, and planting in a 100 cm furrow). The results showed that the treatment of plastic mulch on the soil with planting in 50 cm furrows in the first year had the highest seed number per pod, single plant weight, fresh weight of empty pods, fresh pod yield, harvest index, leaf stomatal conductance, and rainwater use efficiency. Plastic mulch on the soil with planting in 50 cm furrows in the second year had the highest seed number per pod, leaf stomatal conductance, and soil moisture at a depth of 20 cm. In conclusion, plastic mulch with planting in a 50 cm furrow for the production of pea in dry and semi-dry conditions is recommended.

Potential use of rainwater as a tool for fire stations and firefighting: Literature review, environmental and cost assessments

Few studies in the literature integrate rainwater harvesting and firefighting. Thus, the general objective of this paper was to evaluate the potential use of rainwater as a source of water for firefighting. To do so, two approaches were proposed for the assessment. The first approach was the analysis of the existing literature. Two databases were evaluated as references in engineering fields, of which 32 articles mentioned rainwater as an alternative for firefighting. The main result of the review was the scarcity of articles in the area under study, with some of the existing articles focusing on forest fires. In contrast, others analysed the use of rainwater within the scope of buildings or fire stations. The second approach involved a case study that started by analysing the fire statistics provided by the Military Fire Department of the state of Santa Catarina, Brazil. It was observed that, between 2017 and 2020, building fires represented 25 % of the state's fires and 50 % of the water consumption in firefighting, while the rest of the fire occurrences represented the other half of water consumption. Rainwater can be used not only to reduce the total consumption of potable water but also as a logistics tool towards better response time in the event of a fire. With the firefighting water demand obtained, a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approach was performed to assess the potential environmental optimisation in a simplified scope. It was performed in a cradle-to-gate approach, leaving the potential optimisations in transport and logistics apart. Also, a cost assessment was carried out, obtaining a much lower cost for firefighting and providing financial savings for fire stations. As a result, rainwater is expected to decrease environmental impacts, help logistics in fire and save money for fire supression.

Instalasi Gama Rain Filter Dalam Meningkatkan Akses Air Bersih Pada Masyarakat Pedesaan (Studi Kasus Pada PT Wujudkan Mandiri Air)

Indonesia is a country that has potential water resources due to high rainfall but is very vulnerable to water crises. This fact shows the great urgency of the need for clean water. One effective solution to deal with this is through the use of rainwater. Harvesting rainwater is an effective step because Indonesia itself has high rainfall so that during the rainy season the product from PT Wujudkan, namely Gama Rain Filter, will collect water and in the dry season it will be used for daily needs. The purpose of this study is to find out about the implementation of the gamma rain filter in increasing access to clean water in rural communities. The research method used is a qualitative approach to gain a deep understanding of the effect of the Gama Rain Filter installation in increasing access to clean water in rural communities. The findings of this study are that with this superior technology, Gama Rain Filter helps people save water resources for drinking purposes during the rainy season. Therefore, existing funds can be used to obtain food sources that contain lots of protein

Upstream bioprocessing of Spirulina platensis microalgae using rainwater and recycle medium from post-cultivation for C-phycocyanin production

BackgroundThe cultivation of microalgae represents a water-intensive process, prompting the need to reduce its water footprint and explore alternative water sources. Therefore, this research work aims to investigate the growth of Spirulina by recycling the culture medium obtained from the post-cultivation process and substituting rainwater resources for the preparation of the culture medium. MethodsThe effect of pre-treatment methods, specifically microfiltration and UV-light was investigated. These methods were applied to treat the recycled medium and rainwater resources used for Spirulina cultivation. Biomass concentration, biomass productivity and phycocyanin accumulation of Spirulina were examined to assess the Spirulina growth under different pre-treatment conditions. Significant FindingsAfter three cultivation cycles in the recycled medium, biomass productivity decreased from 0.2246 to 0.0802 g/L/d which might be due to high salinity and biological pollutants that inhibit Spirulina growth. However, different pre-treatment methods using microfiltration and UV-light on the recycling medium were found to be effective in increasing biomass productivity from 0.1395 to 0.1861 g/L/d. Additionally, the use of rainwater for Spirulina cultivation was explored. Applying pre-treatment methods to the rainwater, biomass productivity was further improved from 0.3211 to 0.3837 g/L/d. These findings suggest that the use of pre-treatment methods and alternative rainwater resources can improve the biomass productivity of Spirulina and potentially reduce the environmental impact throughout the microalgae cultivation process.

School Rainwater Harvesting Decision Support Tool

Climate change has meant that many schools in hot and dry areas are increasingly experiencing water shortages. This can affect the health of students and teachers, disrupt education and in the worst case, lead to school closures. Rainwater harvesting can help address water shortages by providing a safe alternative source of water. However, there is limited guidance on how rainwater harvesting systems can be applied to schools resulting in schools not being aware of the potential of rainwater harvesting systems. There is a need, therefore, for a simple tool that can be used by schools to understand rainwater harvesting systems. This study aims to address this gap by developing and testing a simple modelling tool called the School Water and Rainwater Use Modeller (SWARUM). The tool is presented and applied to case study schools in water-scarce areas of Southern Africa and the findings are critically evaluated. The study finds that the modeller can be used to support decision-making about rainwater harvesting systems at schools and makes recommendations for the improvement of the tool.

Potential savings of potable water due to the use of rainwater in a shopping mall in Recife/PE

Water is one of the world's most valuable resources and indispensable for human survival. Given this, climate change and population growth generate an increase in demand for water resources, leading to water scarcity. The use of rainwater is a measure that mitigates environmental impacts, contributes to the retention of rainwater and reduces the demand for drinking water. Therefore, water scarcity stimulates the development of alternatives for water conservation. The objective of this study is to estimate the potential savings of potable water to be replaced by rainwater for non-potable use in a shopping center building in the Northeast of Brazil. The methodology consisted in simulating the volume of the reservoir for storage of collected rainwater. A study of the rainfall indexes and their periodicity was carried out, evaluating the months with highest and lowest precipitation. Subsequently, the Neptune computer program was used to determine the volume of the reservoir. To this end, a study was carried out with different catchment areas, in order to define the area that offers the best potential for supplying the water demands. The results indicated that the most suitable reservoir volume is 117 m³, with potential savings of 6.02% for drinking water and a complete and partial supply of 52.56% for rainwater demand. It was concluded that the potential for drinking water savings justifies the implementation of a rainwater harvesting system in a project of this size, proving to be technically feasible.

Simulation of the use of rainwater for car washing at a dealership in Aracaju/SE

The demographic and economic growth of a country automatically generates an increase in the demand for water, which consequently promotes a problem that is socially worsening. Faced with this situation, one of the actions that can be adopted in order to save water, and which has become popular in recent years, is the implementation of systems for capturing and reusing rainwater. In view of the above, this article aims to perform a simulation of the capture and use of rainwater in a vehicle dealership located in the city of Aracaju/SE. Initially based on the roof area and rainfall data for the years 2016 to 2020, the volume of water captured by the roof was calculated, and finally, the percentage of consumption that could be met with the use of this water was estimated, in this case, the washing of vehicles, and the impact generated on the local urban drainage network was analyzed. In the analyzed period, the average monthly demand was 30.0 m³, the monthly volume collected by the roof resulted in an average of 301.8 m³ and the average monthly reduction in the volume of water thrown into the drainage network was of the order of 30, 7%. It is concluded that rainwater fully meets the estimated demand, the use of rainwater reservoir positively impacts the drainage network, and for this, it must be used on a large scale.

Determination of the water footprint in the production of the bulb onion crop under two irrigation systems in Samaca (Colombia)

The water footprint (WF) is an environmental indicator to quantify the total volume of water required by an agricultural system during its productive cycle, important for decision-making in the management of water resources in relation to its availability, to improve the efficiency in the use of irrigation water (WFblue), the use of rainwater (WFgreen) and the quality of water used (WFgray). This research estimated the water footprint of bulb onion (Allium cepa L.) cultivation under two irrigation systems in the municipality of Samaca (Colombia), using Cropwat, weighing lysimeters, climate information, crop water requirements and physicochemical analysis of soils and water. The calculation of the WF by component in sprinkler irrigation was: (WFblue) 75.65 m3 t-1, (WFgreen) 67.53 m3 t-1 and (WFgray) 31,29 m3 t-1 ; in drip irrigation: (WFblue) 78.72 m3 t-1, (WFgreen) 65.28 m3 t-1 and (WFgray) 52.4 m 3 t-1. WF maintained a similar trend between irrigations: sprinkler (174.47 m3 t-1) with a yield of 56.0 t ha-1 and drip (196.41 m3 t-1) with a yield of 57.9 t ha-1.

The Use of Mixed Composed Amendments to Improve Soil Water Content and Peach Growth (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) in a Mediterranean Environment

Reduction of water availability imposes the agronomic issues of increasing the storage capacity of the soil and improving the use of rainwater or irrigation water. A field experiment in 2021 was conducted in a 5-year-old peach orchard in a Mediterranean environment to study the effect of mixed composed amendments (ACM), applied in different amounts, on the dynamics of soil water status. Water balance was monitored during the peach vegetative reproductive cycle on a daily scale. Three treatments of mixed composed amendments (ACM) were compared: A0, control; A1, with amendment (10 t ha−1); and A2, with half dose of amendment (5 t ha−1). On a seasonal scale, soil water content increased by 27% and 33% in A1 and A2 compared to A0, while relative extractable water varied between 0.41 (A0) and 0.65 (A1 and A2). Both soil water balance indicators show that storage capacity increases with the addition of amendment. Improved soil storage capacity was associated with higher values of stem water potential (throughout the growing season) and stomatal conductance (at the end of the season). Shoot and fruit growth observations were consistent with soil water content dynamics.

Storage, quality and use of rainwater after a "green" roof

The issue of reuse of natural resources occupies an important place in resource conservation, environmental friendliness and reduction of the man-made load of construction around the world. The use of water resources is of particular importance. They are a strategic, vitally important natural resource, the national wealth of every country, one of the natural foundations of its economic development. In addition to reasonable consumption, it is necessary to promote the preservation, restoration and reuse of water resources. One of the many methods of effective and at the same time the most natural management of water resources is "green" constructions. These are biotechnological means that combine building structures and living plants. This paper examines the implementation and creation of "green" roofs for the collection, accumulation and re-use of rainwater. The chemical composition of water after passing through the "green" roof, as well as ordinary rainwater from the roof of the building of the residential complex "Respublika" was analyzed. Water sampling was carried out in December 2021 during rainfall. It is shown that the concentration of impurities in wastewater from "green roofs" does not exceed the permissible values for drinking water. In addition, financial costs for the construction of conventional and "green" roofs were presented. Additional costs for the creation of a "green" roof will be 20.89% of the total cost of materials and 63.49% of the total cost of works for the construction of a stationary roof. Means for reuse of rainwater on "green" roofs are considered. It is shown that thanks to the retention of water by the layers of the "green" roof with an area of 490 m2, it is enough to provide a tank with a volume of 150...250 dm3. Data on the volume of used water for technical needs (irrigation) from Faina-Town residential complex in Kyiv are provided. It is shown that the accumulated rainwater is sufficient to meet the needs for watering the adjacent territory.

Quality assessment of non-roof harvested rainwater in industrial layouts of Enugu, South East Nigeria

Non-roof harvested rainwater was studied in Enugu industrial layouts of Emene and Iva Valley to determine the quality of the water. The determination was based on physicochemical parameters and concentration of 7 heavy metals, namely copper (Cu), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd). The physicochemical parameters of the rainwater: pH, colour, turbidity, total dissolved solids, conductivity were determined using Hanna water quality checker, and the anions nitrate, sulphate, chloride and phosphate were analysed in accordance to standard methods. The concentrations of Cu, Cr, Ni, Mn, Zn, Pb and Cd were determined using FS240 Agilent Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer. The mean values (mg/l) of the metals: Cu, Cr, Ni, Mn, Zn, Pb and Cd in Emene sample are as follows: 0.12 ± 0.01, 0.10 ± 0.02, 0.37 ± 0.02, 0.03 ± 0.01, 0.15 ± 0.01, 0.58 ± 0.11 and 0.17 ± 0.07, while Iva Valley sample recorded 0.08 ± 0.01, 0.04 ± 0.01, 0.82 ± 0.06, 0.09 ± 0.02, 0.26 ± 0.01, 0.48 ± 0.04 and 0.31 ± 0.08, respectively. Some of these values are within or above the standard limit of World Health Organization (WHO) and Nigeria Standard for Drinking Water Quality (NSDWQ). It is important to note that these metals are toxic, persistence and have the potential to bioaccumulate. Therefore, non-roof harvested rainwater is not ready to consume water without some form of treatment. Monitoring, treatment and awareness on the harvesting and use of rainwater should be emphasized.

Influence of climate change and population growth on Amazon Metropolis water supply

The objective was to investigate the impacts of population growth in Belém-PA and climate change on the water balance and the volume of water available in the city's source. The water balance of the source was projected until 2099 using the GCMs (global climate models) MIROC5 and HADGEM2-ES aligned to the RCM (regional climate model) eta and two scenarios of greenhouse gas emission RCPs (representative concentration pathways) 4.5 and 8.5. The population of the city was projected until 2100 using the Gompertz model. The results projected a large reduction in the volume of precipitation in the months of august to November. This reduction combined with the results of population growth showed that the volume of water will not meet the future demand of the population, causing a situation of water scarcity until the end of the century. The solution will be to increase the pumping of raw water from the Guamá River to the source, increasing energy and water treatment costs. These increases could make Belém's water supply system unsustainable. Therefore, new ways of serving the public must be sought, such as the use of underground sources and the use of rainwater

Renewable energy sources for backup energy supply of small wastewater plants and individual households

These researches concern the use of renewable sources of electricity during emergency shutdowns for uninterrupted operation of water management systems. The ability to purify drinking water during a power outage requires a backup power source. A mobile power plant, which is usually used as a backup power source during blackouts and emergencies, is known to cause environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. The use of wind energy for these purposes requires the location of wind stations next to small treatment plants and households in order to quickly switch to autonomous mode, which does not always meet the territorial requirements and wind resources of the region. Open areas for the location of solar panels make the use of this type of renewable sources as a reserve in the conditions of military operations in Ukraine not quite suitable. On the basis of foreign experience in the use of small hydroelectric power plants (MHPs) and with different layouts of their location when working at sewage treatment plants, four possible options for providing electricity to sewage treatment plants and households during a blackout are proposed for the conditions of Ukraine. The option of the location of the MHP, which uses the energy of water transported through pipelines and which has successfully proven itself at operating treatment plants, is considered. Variants of using the pressure of an artesian well are proposed: MHP located in a vertical well that supplies artesian water under pressure; when an active artesian well supplies water under natural pressure at a constant flow rate to an above-ground (or underground) tank that simultaneously supplies normal household needs and a connected turbine-powered alternator. In addition, an option for the location of the MHPS was considered for the treatment and further use of rainwater sewage, including for the use of rainwater collected from "green roofs" in a tank-reservoir. The peculiarities of using this scheme are that it is easy to combine it with the case of using energy obtained from artesian wells. The proposed technological solutions allow for significant energy savings, including in places where high-quality water supply from artesian wells is possible, depending on the hydrogeological conditions of the area.