Karachi needs a rainwater harvesting system: Altaf Shakoor
Children crossing through rain water accumulated at Railway Station Road in Hyderabad after heavy rain in the city. PHOTO: APP
Water-deficient Karachi urgently needs a rainwater harvesting system to store and reuse rainwater that now simply inundated streets before being drained out into the sea, said Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor.
According to a press release issued on Sunday, he said that the rainwater harvesting system, also called the rainwater collection system, is a technology that collects and stores rainwater for human use. Rainwater harvesting systems range from simple rain barrels to more elaborate structures with pumps, tanks, and purification systems.
The same rainwater can be used to irrigate landscaping, flush toilets, wash cars, or launder clothes, and it can even be purified for human consumption, he said.
While talking about the advantages of the catchment system, Shakoor said that water scarcity is a pressing problem for many densely populated regions while rainwater harvesting systems can supply households and businesses with water for use in dry seasons and lessen the demand on municipal systems.
He said Karachi does not get heavy rainfalls every year, but during the monsoon season, it often gets plenty of showers. "In this season we see Hab Dam and small dams on the Malir River overflowing, while supplementary water reservoirs on Hab, Lyari and Malir river systems could help to store this excessive water. The stored water can be used for industrial and agriculture purposes," he said.
He said it is a pity that both Malir and Layari rivers, essentially rainwater rivers, are being used as drainage Nullahs. He said that the drainage of municipal water should not be carried through natural waterways, but instead, an extensive municipal drainage system should be devised for them.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 25th, 2022.