Reducing rainwater harvesting system cost

The cost of existing technology for Domestic Rainwater Harvesting (DRWH) is often considered too high and in Sri Lanka at least, existing options are becoming too expensive for the available subsidies. The generally used storage capacity of 5m3 is also considered too small for the dry zone of the country. Finally, the government is moving from water provider to facilitator so subsidies may be reduced in the coming years, putting further stress on existing options. This paper describes several designs produced under a DFID-funded contract: 'Roofwater Harvesting for Poorer Households in the Tropics', during an intensive period of product development undertaken in Sri Lanka. Another paper at this conference, 'Economically Viable Domestic Roofwater Harvesting' by D. Brett Martinson & Terry Thomas, outlines broader strategies for reducing domestic roofwater harvesting (DRWH) cistern costs.