Volume 59, Issue 330, June 2023

Economic and environmental impact assessment of rainwater harvesting system for a small scale residential area in a typical rural setting

Emmanuel C Chukwuma^1,2♦, Jeremiah L Chukwuneke², Joseph I Uba^1,3, Joy N Chukwuma⁴

¹Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria
²Mechanical Engineering Department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria
³Future Africa Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
⁴Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria

^♦Corresponding author
Department of Agricultural and Bioresources Engineering, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria and Mechanical Engineering Department, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State Nigeria

ABSTRACT

Rainwater has become an important water source in the face of climate change; it is an important water source in many areas with significant rainfall that lack any conventional, centralized supply system. Considering several socio-economic and environmental advantages of reduced cost in mains top and reduced runoff, this study investigated the economics and environmental impact assessment of rainwater harvesting systems (RWHS) on a small-scale residential area in a typical rural setting. Sample survey, onsite observation and analytical approach were applied in the investigation. The economic analysis was done for 1 m³, 0.75 m³ and 0.5 m³ water capacity tanks at a fixed catchment area of 64 m³. The result indicates that most of the populace (76%) depends on rainwater as a source of drinking water. Environmental assessment of the RWHS demonstrated that best practices in the management of rainwater harvesting were generally poor, as overhanging trees were observed on some of the rooftops of the RWHS. The scenario of rainwater harvesting potential of facilities shows that rainwater is unavailable in the early and later parts of the year and overflow of water tanks occurs within days 101 to 301, an indicator that tanks were undersized. The economic analysis for the various tank sizes indicates that savings of $5,190.36, $7,361.33 and $8,064.23 were made for the 0.5 m³, 0.75 m³ and 1 m³ tank sizes, respectively.

Keywords: Rainwater harvesting, economic analysis, environmental assessment, water demand, Nigeria

Discovery, 2023, 59, e65d1240

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Published: June 2023