Not a Single Drop Wasted: Traditional Water Harvesting Technology

Not a Single Drop Wasted
Traditional Water Harvesting Technology

A man fishing in the Ambattur Eri

Technology does not necessarily need to be new!

Our ancestors knew very well the value of water and invented locally sustainable ways of saving it. Here are just a few examples of water harvesting from different parts of India!

Eri

: Approximately one-third of the irrigated area of Tamil Nadu is watered by

eris

(tanks). Villagers used to be highly particular about the maintenance of the

eris

. The system would divert the river water into tanks through dug out earthen channels, which in turn took care of the irrigation needs of the villages.

Ooranis

are the smaller tanks for potable water. Tubewells and borewells are now posing danger to these traditional systems.

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Zabo

means 'impounding water'. This method is practiced in Nagaland. During monsoon, rainwater that falls on the hilltops is collected into the pond like structures that are carved out on the hillsides.

Jheel – Virdas

system in Banni Grassland area of the Kutch district in Gujarat. Annual rainfall in this region is very low and temperatures in May-June can reach 48°C -50°C. However, the Maldhari community persists in using the old system to harvest rainwater. Virdas are shallow wells dug in low depressions called jheels (tanks). This old system is still preserved because it ensures potable water for community and their livestock even at times of drought.

There are multiple other traditional ways of saving water which are in perfect harmony with nature and don’t cause water scarcity in the long run! Send us images of your local water harvesting or lake rejuvenation efforts by clicking here.

Weather & Radar editorial desk

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