Sustainability of rainwater harvesting system in terms of water quality.
Water is considered an everlasting free source that can be acquired naturally. Demand for processed supply water is growing higher due to an increasing population. Sustainable use of water could maintain a balance between its demand and supply. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is the most traditional and sustainable method, which could be easily used for potable and nonpotable purposes both in residential and commercial buildings. This could reduce the pressure on processed supply water which enhances the green living. This paper ensures the sustainability of this system through assessing several water-quality parameters of collected rainwater with respect to allowable limits. A number of parameters were included in the analysis: pH, fecal coliform, total coliform, total dissolved solids, turbidity, NH3-N, lead, BOD5, and so forth. The study reveals that the overall quality of water is quite satisfactory as per Bangladesh standards. RWH system offers sufficient amount of water and energy savings through lower consumption. Moreover, considering the cost for installation and maintenance expenses, the system is effective and economical.
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Sadia
0000-0001-5055-7622
S
Rahman
Department of Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
M T R
MT
Khan
Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Shatirah
S
Akib
Department of Architecture, Faculty of Built Environment, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Nazli Bin Che
NB
Din
Department of Civil Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering & Technology, Dhaka 1000, Bangladesh.
S K
SK
Biswas
Institute of Environmental and Water Resources Management (IPASA), Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia, 81310 Johor, Malaysia.
S M
SM
Shirazi
D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D011891:Rain; D060753:Water Quality; D014881:Water Supply