Umudike Journal of Engineering and Technology

Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike


AUGMENTING RURAL WATER SUPPLY BY ROOFTOP RAINWATER HARVESTING IN EGBEADA, IMO STATE, NIGERIA

Igbojionu, D. O.
Department of Agricultural Engineering Technology, Federal College of Land Resources Technology, P.M.B. 1518 Owerri, Nigeria

Obineche, C. I.
Department of Agricultural Engineering Technology, Federal College of Land Resources Technology, P.M.B. 1518 Owerri, Nigeria

Durumbah-obih, F. M.
Department of Environmental Technology, Federal College of land Resources Technology, P.M.B.1518 Owerri, Nigeria

Akuwudike, A. E.
Department of Agricultural Engineering Technology, Federal College of Land Resources Technology, P.M.B. 1518 Owerri, Nigeria



ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to evaluate the water yielding potentials of existing roof catchments of residential and public buildings in Egbeada, Imo state, Nigeria and to determine the optimum volume of storage to satisfy demand at both household and multi-household levels. The potential of the community for rainwater harvesting was assessed by subjecting 20 years of rainfall data to descriptive statistical analysis and application of appropriate mathematical formulae to calculate available roof areas, design population and water demand. Mass curve analysis and SimTanka simulation model were used to determine the optimum storage to satisfy water demand at the levels considered. The results of the statistical analysis shows that there is a much lower risk that rainwater harvesting will not meet the minimum water demand of the community.  The mass curve analysis shows that monthly demands of 6 m3 (25l/p/d), 8.4 m3 (35l/p/d) and 9.6 m3 (40l/p/d) can be met from tank storages of 25 m3, 41 m3 and 44.4 m3, respectively at individual household level. The SimTanka simulation result shows that at individual level, when practiced as a complete water source, a daily water demand of 40l/p/d can be satisfied optimally at 99.8% from a storage of 63.5 m3 all year round and if practiced as a partial water supply option(only during the dry season) a daily water demand of 60 l/p/d can be satisfied 100 % of the time from rain water storage of 65.5 m3.However, at multi-household level  only a daily demand of 15l/p/d can be satisfied at 100% of the time from a storage of 7,200 m3. Greater potential exists for rooftop rainwater harvesting at the individual household level than at the multi - household level in Egbeada community.


Keywords: Design population, water demand, roof water yield, optimum storage


https://doi.org/10.33922/j.ujet_v8i2_5
View: 85 | Download: 5

Published
Thursday, December 22, 2022

Issue
Vol. 8 No. 2, December 2022

Article Section
GENERAL

The contents of the articles are the sole opinion of the author(s) and not of UJET.


Open Access
Umudike Journal of Engineering and Technology makes abstracts and full texts of all articles published freely available to everyone immediately after publication thereby enabling the accessibility of research articles by the global community without hindrance through the internet.

Indexing and Abstracting
We are index in Google Scholar, AJOL, and EBSCO.