Shillong rooftop rainwater harvesting

Geography glossary

Topic: Water Resources of India: Availability, Use and Conservation · NCERT: Class 10, Ch 3 "Water Resources"

Meaning

Shillong is the capital of Meghalaya. Cherrapunji and Mawsynram, about 55 km away, get the world's highest rainfall. Even so, Shillong is short of water. So nearly every household harvests the rain falling on its roof. This roof water meets about 15-25% of each home's needs. The case shows that heavy rain nearby does not guarantee enough usable water for a city.

Example

In Shillong, Meghalaya, homes run pipes from their roofs into storage tanks. The stored water adds to the city's piped supply, which is not enough on its own.

Don't confuse with

  • "Water scarcity happens only in low-rainfall areas": this is a common trap and it is false. Shillong is a high-rainfall area that still faces water shortage, and so is Chennai.
  • Tamil Nadu rainwater harvesting mandate: there the law makes rooftop harvesting compulsory. In Shillong, households do it on their own because they need the water.

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