RWAs directed to clean and test rainwater harvesting systems before monsoon, run mock drills

Gurgaon: Haryana’s principal advisor for urban development, DS Dhesi, on Tuesday directed housing societies to clean, maintain and test rainwater harvesting systems and check their stormwater runoff capacity.During a review meeting with facility managers from group housing societies, GMDA officials, the irrigation department and the district town planning department, Dhesi asked RWA representatives to address any deficiencies in their rainwater harvesting infrastructure and ensure that recharge pits and associated structures are free from silt and other obstructions so that rainwater can percolate efficiently into the ground.Representatives from over 30 resident associations were directed to channelise rooftop runoff into rainwater harvesting pits to maximise utilisation of the installed infrastructure and enhance groundwater recharge. “The effective functioning of rainwater harvesting systems within residential complexes could help curb the discharge of excess rainwater onto city roads and contribute towards the city’s overall monsoon resilience,” Dhesi said.To assess the operational readiness of the systems, RWAs were instructed to carry out mock drills by releasing water into the pits and observing whether the structures facilitate proper infiltration. The exercise, officials said, would help identify bottlenecks and allow corrective action before the onset of the monsoon.Hydrologist Dalvir Rana said, “A properly designed and maintained rainwater harvesting system has the potential to facilitate infiltration of nearly 25 litres of water per second, reducing surface runoff and easing pressure on the city’s stormwater drainage network.”This is the third review with RWAs in the past six months as authorities intensify monsoon preparedness measures. Inspection visits to assess the functioning of rainwater harvesting systems have already been carried out in several housing societies by GMDA officials, with follow-up action being taken in coordination with RWAs.“A joint mock drill involving GMDA, the irrigation department and hydrologists would be conducted in a selected group housing society to demonstrate the process and establish a standard operating practice that can be replicated by other RWAs,” district town planner, GMDA, RS Batth said.“Most group housing societies are now taking the issue seriously and are working to ensure that their rainwater harvesting systems remain functional before the monsoon. While these systems may not completely eliminate waterlogging, they can certainly help in groundwater recharge if they are properly maintained. In our society, we have 29 rainwater harvesting pits. Following the previous meetings, we undertook their cleaning, desilting and maintenance work, and they are now ready for the rainy season,” said Mayank Tiwari, secretary of Tata Primanti in Sector 72.