A

MINI PROJECT REPORT

ON
BUILDINGS & CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS
IN
CIVIL ENGINEERING

BY
ANUPAM SHRIVASTAVA

APOLLO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

SUNDHELA SARSAUL, KANPUR
SUBMITTED
TO
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPEARTMENT,
ABDUL KALAM TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY, LUCKNOW
2020-2024
 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the Practical Training Mini

report for Practical Training taken at “SHREE

INDIA REAL LAND DEVELOPERS PVT LTD.”

is submitted by “ANUPAM SHRIVASTAVA” of

degree of Bachelor of Technology in Civil

Engineering has been found satisfactory and is

approved for submission.

 ACKNOWLEGEMENT

It is a great pleasure for me to prevent this training

report .I would be an undoing my job if don’t thank
to everyone who helped me starting this report.
First and foremost I would like to thank Mr.
DYASHANKAR JANGIR, CONSTRUCTION
MANAGER and special thanks to Mr. RAJEEV
RANJAN, SITE INCHARGE and Mr. AMIT
CHOUDHARY, SURVEYOR who support me through
inspiring towards this report. He had provided me
a nice industrial experience.
Secondly, I am no less grateful to the other
employees and members of the department for
their kind co-operation and spontaneous response.
Last but not the least; I would like to thank my
seniors who extend their advices and suggestions
which helped me a lot in compiling my seminar
report.
 INTRODUCTION
1.1ABOUT THE PROJECT

MULTISTOREY RESIDENTIAL
1. NAME OF PROJECT
BUILDING (G+7)

2. AREA 117.24 m²&120 m² per flat

3. WORK (MASORS) SHRI SAGAR ENCLAVE-1

4. PROJECT MANAGER MR. VIKASH JAIN

SHRI INDIA REAL LAND

5. COMPANY
DEVELOPERS PVT LTD

6. LOCATION OF SITE KANPUR UP

7. DURATION OF PROJECT 2 YEAR AND 7 MONTH

8.. DURATION OF TRAINING 30 DAYS

1.2ABOUT THE BUILDING
It project is a multi-storey residential building. This
building is constructing for middle class people.
Company has divided the residential buildings in
different group as mentioned below-
HIG (HIGH INCOME GROUP) :
This group includes the flats of cost is more than 15
lac.
MIG (MIDDLE INCOME GROUP) :
This group includes the flats of cost varies between 5
to 15 lac.
LIG (LOW INCOME GROUP) :
This group includes the flats of cost is less than 5 lac.
This building insists In MIG (Middle Income Group).It
is a four storey building (G+3).Entire building is
constructed in two combined apartments. The
number of flats in each floor is four in each
apartment. Each flat consists two bed room, a living
room and a kitchen (2 BHK) with separate bathroom
and toilet. The height of each floor is 3 meter. The
dimensions of all flats were same.
Dimensional detail of a flat:
Living Room : (3.18*4.00) meter
Bed Room (1) : (3.00*3.30) meter
Bed Room (2) : (2.70*3.30) meter
Kitchen : (1.80*2.50) meter
Toilet : (2.1*1.20) meter
Bath Room : (1.20*1.20) meter
Water Closet : (0.90*1.20) meter
Single window has provided in living room, bed
rooms and kitchen .Each flat consists a balcony in
front and rear sides of apartments.

1.3TYPES OF BUILDING:
Building are classified on the basis of character of
occupancy and type of use as –
Residential Building
Educational Building
Institutional Building
Industrial Building
RESIDENTIAL BUILDING:
In such building sleeping accommodation is provided.
IT includes the living room, bed room, kitchen, hall,
and toilet and bathroom. It may be a single storey
building or apartments.
EDUCATIONAL BUILDING:
This includes any building using for school, college,
assembly for instruction, education or recreation.
INSTITUTIONAL BUILDING:
These building are used for different purposes, such
as medical or other treatment or care of a person
suffering from a physical or mental illness etc. These
building include hospital, sanitaria, jail etc.
INDUSTRIAL BUILDING:
These are buildings in which products or materials of
all kind of properties are fabricated, assembled,
processed. For example refineries, gas plant, mills etc.
MATERIALS FOR CONSTRUCTION

2.1CEMENT
The function of cement is to combine with water and
to form cement paste. This paste first sets i.e. it
becomes firms and then hardens due to chemical
reaction, called hydration, between the cement and
water. On setting & hardening, the cement binds the
aggregate together into a stone like hard mass & thus
provides strength, durability & water-tighten to the
concrete. Quality of cement is based on grade of
cement. The grades of cement are as-
33 Grades
43 Grades
53 Grades

At the site Portland cement of 53 grades (JK SUPER

CEMENT) is used.
The cost per beg = 275 rupees
The initial setting time of cement = 30 minutes (1/2
hr)
The final setting time of cement = 10 hrs.

2AGGREGATE: -
Aggregates are small pieces of broken stones in
irregular size and shapes.
Neat cement is very rarely used in construction
works since it is liable to shrink too much and
become cracks on setting. Moreover, it will be costly
to use neat cement in construction work. Therefore
cement is mixed with some inert strong & durable
hard materials.
They also reduce the cost of concrete because they
are comparative much cheaper as cement.

TYPES OF AGGREGATES:
.Fine Aggregate
.Coarse Aggregate
FINE AGGREGATE (SAND): -
The aggregate, which pass through 4.75 mm, I.S.
sieve and entirely retain on 75 micron (.075mm) I.S.
sieve is known as fine aggregate.
FUNCTION OF FINE AGGREGATE: -
The function of using fine aggregate in a concrete mix
is to fill up the voids existing in the coarse aggregate
and to obtain a dense and strong concrete with less
quantity of cement and increase the workability of
the concrete mix.
COURSE AGGREGATE: -
The aggregate, which pass through 75 mm I.S. sieve
and entirely retain on 4.75 I.S. sieve is known as
coarse aggregates. At the site the coarse aggregate
was 10mm & 20mm (graded).

FUNCTION OF COARSE AGGREGATE: -

The coarse aggregates are used in mixing of concrete.
It is mixed cement, sand with water. These
aggregates increase the strength of bonding in
aggregates. Coarse aggregates are used in
construction of plan cement concrete (PCC),
foundation, beams and columns etc.
GRADING OF CONCRETE: -
The art of doing gradation of an aggregate as
determined by sieve analysis is known as grading of
aggregate. The grade of concrete is depends on size
of aggregates.
The principle of grading is that the smaller particles
will fill up the voids between large particles. This
results in the most economical use of cement paste
for filling the voids & binding together the aggregate
in the preparation of concrete.
Thus proper grading of fine & coarse aggregate in
concrete mix produces a dense concrete with less
quantity of cement.

REINFORCEMENT: -
The material that develops a good bond with
concrete in order to increase its strength is called
reinforcement. Steel bars are highly strong in
tension, shear, bending moment, torsion and
compression.
FUNCTION OF REINFORCEMENT:
Reinforcement working as a tension member
because concrete is strong in compression and week
in tension so reinforcement resists the tensile
stresses in the concrete members. At the site
contractor using the high strength steel bars and
T.M.T. (Thermo Mechanically Treated) bars of
diameter 8 mm, 10 mm, 16 mm, & 32 mm as per
requirement of design.

2.3WATER: -
It is an important ingredient of concrete because it
combines with cement and forms a binding paste.
The paste thus formed fills up the voids of the sand
and coarse aggregate bringing them into close
adhesion.
In this project source of water is a tube well which is
closely spaced to the building. The quality of water is
good and can be used for drinking purpose also.

2.4 R.C.C.: -
Though plain cement concrete has high compressive
strength and its tensile strength is relatively low.
Normally, the tensile strength of a concrete is about
10% to 15% of its compressive strength. Hence if a
beam is made up of plain cement concrete, it has a
very low load carrying capacity since its low tensile
strength limits its overall strength. It is, there
reinforced by placing steel bars in the tensile zone of
the concrete beam so that the compressive bending
stress is carried by concrete and tensile bending
stress is carried by steel reinforcing bars. Generally in
simply supported and
Cantilever beams the tension zone occurs at bottom
and top of beam respectively.
 EQUIPMENTS AND MACHINES

3.1 BATCHING MACHINE:

The measurement of materials for making concrete is
known as batching. The machines which used for
batching is known as batching machine.

3.2 GRINDING MACHINE:

This is a power mechanically operated machine
which is used to mix the concrete. It consists a hollow
cylindrical part with inner side wings. In which
cement, sand, aggregates and water is mix properly.

3.3 TRANSPORTATION:
The process of carrying the concrete mix from the
place of its mixing to final position of deposition is
termed as transportation of concrete. There are
many methods of transportation as mentioned
below-
Transport of concrete by pans
Transport of concrete by wheel barrows
Transport of concrete by tipping lorries
Transport of concrete by pumps
Transport of concrete by belt conveyors
At this site belt conveyors were used.

3.4 COMPACTORS:
When the concrete has been placed, it shows a very
loose structure. Hence, it must be compacted to
remove the air bubbles and voids so as to make it
dense and solid concrete to obtain a high strength.
There are two method- of compaction.
Manual compaction
Mechanical compaction
Generally in large projects mechanical compactors
are used. There are various mechanical compactors
which uses according to requirement as needle and
screed vibrators needed to compact the column and
floor respectively.
FOOTING:
It is part of structural transfer the load of
superstructure through columns to soil strata.
Combined Footing
Isolated Footing
Raft Footing
In this project RAFT footing is provided.

STAIRS:
Stairs are defined as the access to reach one floor to
another floor. Stairs are designed so as it gives
maximum comfort and safety. There are several
types of stairs.
Straight flight stairs
Half turn stairs
Circular stairs
Spiral stairs

BUILDING DRAWING:
Front Elevation
Ground Floor Plan
Typical Floor Plan
Reinforcement detail
Concrete Detail
BRICK MASONARY
The bricks are obtained by molding clay in
rectangular block of uniform size and then drying and
burning these blocks. Brick masonry easy to
construct compare stone masonry. It is less time
consuming and there is no need of skilled labor to
construct it. The bricks do not require dressing and
the arty of laying bricks is so simple.

7.1 CLASS OF BRICK:

On the basis of quality and performance of brick is
classified in three parts-
CLASS A
CLASS B
CLASS C
At this site A class brick is used.

7.2 SIZE AND WEIGHT OF BRICKS

The bricks are prepared in various sizes. On the basis
of size , BIS bricks are categories in two parts-

MODULAR BRICKS:
BIS recommends a standard size of brick which is
190mm*90mm*90mm. With mortar thickness, size
of such a brick become 200mm*100mm*100mm.
TRADITIONAL BRICKS:
The brick of which size varies and not standardized
known as traditional brick.

WEIGHT OF BRICK:
It is found that the weight of 1 cubic meter brick
earth is about 1800 kg. Hence the average weight of
a brick will be about 3 to 3.5 kg.

STRUCTURE OF BRICK

STRETCHER:
If brick lay along its length then front view of brick is
known as stretcher.

HEADER:
If brick lay along its width, then front view of brick is
known as header.

FROG:
It is top of brick. It provides strong bonding between
two courses of masonry by filling the mortar. It also
consists the name of company.
QUEEN CLOSER:
This is obtained by cutting the bricks longitudinally in
two equal parts.
BAT:
This is piece of brick, considered in relation to the
length of brick as half bat, three quarter bat, etc.

TYPES OF BRICK MASONARY:

Brick work is classified according to quality of mortar,
quality of brick and thickness of joints. They types of
brick work as follows-
BRICK WORK IN MUD MORTAR:
IN this type of brick work mud is used to fill up the
joints. Mud is mixer of sand and clay. The thickness
of mortar joint is 12mm.
BRICK WORK IN LIME MORTAR:
In this type of brick work, lime mortar is used to fill
up the joints. Lime mortar is mixer of lime and sand
the thickness of joints does not exceeds 10mm.

BRICK WORK IN CEMENT MORTAR:

In this type of brick work, cement mortar is used to
fill up the joints. Cement mortar is mixer of cement
and sand in certain ratio. The ratio of cement and
sand varies according to construction as in brick
masonry it generally kept 1:6.The thickness of joint
does not exceeds 10mm. The brick work with cement
mortar provides high adopted in building
construction.
At this site cement mortar is used in brick work. The
ratio of Cement to sand is 1:6.

TOOLS USED IN BRICK MASONRY:

The tools used in brick masonry are trowel, spirit
level, plumb bob, square, hammer, straight edge.
BONDS IN BRICK WORK:
There various bonds which provided in brick work to
increase the stability of walls. Various types of bonds
are as follows-
Stretcher Bond
Header Bond
English Bond
Flemish Bond
STRETCHER BOND:
The bricks are laid along its length in all courses. A
half and three quarter bat is used in alternative
courses to break the verticality of joints.
HEADER BOND:
The bricks are laid along its width in all courses. A
half and three quarter bat is also used in alternative
courses to break the verticality of joints.
PLASTER
The term plastering is used to describe thin cover
that is applied on the surface of walls. It removes
unevenness of surface of walls. Sometimes it is use
for decorative purpose also.

8.1MORTARFOR PLASTERING:
Selection of type of mortar depends on various
factors such as suitability of building material,
atmospheric conditions, durability etc. there are
mainly three type of mortar which can be used for
the purpose of mortar
Lime mortar
Cement mortar
Water proof mortar

LIME MORTAR:
The main content of lime mortar is lime that is mixed
with correct proportion of sand. Generally fat lime is
recommended for plaster work because the fat lime
contains 75% of Cao and it combines with CO2 of
atmosphere and gives CaCO3 quickly. Thus, the lime
sets quickly, but it imparts low strength. So it can be
use only for plaster work. The sand to be used for
preparing lime mortar for plastering work should be
clean, coarse and free from any organic impurities.

CEMENT MORTAR:
The cement mortar consists of one part of cement to
four part of clean and coarse sand by volume. The
materials are thoroughly mixed in dry condition
before water is added to them. The mixing of
material is done on a watertight platform. It is better
than lime mortar. It is widely used in construction
work.
 CONCLUSION

As per my training report I have conclude that, during

last 30 days I am familiar with the construction
Materials. Brick masonry is provided to transfer the
load of structure to foundation. All though maximum
load of building comes on columns and beams.
Plaster is necessary to cover and protect the masonry
from weathering factor. It is a layer of cement mortar
of thickness is 1 to 1.5 inches. I am very thankful to
all those people who help me to get knowledge of
these Materials.
 A
MINI PROJECT REPORT
ON
RAIN WATER HARVESTING
IN
CIVIL ENGINEERING

BY
PARUL SINGH

APOLLO INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

SUNDHELA SARSAUL, KANPUR
SUBMITTED
TO
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPEARTMENT,
ABDUL KALAM TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY, LUCKNOW
2020-2024
 CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the Practical Training Mini

report for Practical Training taken at “SHREE

INDIA REAL LAND DEVELOPERS PVT LTD.”

is submitted by “PARUL SINGH” of degree of

Bachelor of Technology in Civil Engineering has

been found satisfactory and is approved for

submission.
What is rainwater harvesting?
Rainwater harvesting is a technology used to collect,
convey and store rain for later use from relatively
clean surfaces such as a roof, land surface or rock
catchment. The water is generally stored in a
rainwater tank or directed to recharge groundwater.
Rainwater infiltration is another aspect of rainwater
harvesting playing an important role in storm water
management and in the replenishment of the
groundwater levels. Rainwater harvesting has been
pr
actives for over 4,000 years throughout the world,
actives for over 4,000 years throughout the world,
traditionally in arid and semi-arid areas, and has
provided drinking water, domestic water and water
for livestock and small irrigation. Today, rainwater
harvesting has gained much on significance as a
modern, water-saving and simple technology.
The practice of collecting rainwater from rainfall
events can be classified into two broad categories:
land-based and roof-based. Land-based rainwater
harvesting occurs when runoff from land surfaces is
collected in furrow dikes, ponds, tanks and
reservoirs. Roof-based rainwater harvesting refers to
collecting rainwater runoff from roof surfaces which
usually provides a much cleaner source of water that
can be also used for drinking.
Gould and Nissen-Petersen (1999) categorized
rainwater harvesting according to the type of
catchment surface used and the scale of activity
(Figure 1).

FIG 1 Small-scale rainwater harvesting systems and

uses (adapted from Gould and Nissen-Petersen,
1999). 1
Rooftop rainwater harvesting at the household level
is most commonly used for domestic purposes. It is
popular as a household option as the water source is
close
To people and thus requires a minimum of energy to
collect it. An added advantage is that users own
maintain and control their system without the need
to rely on other community members.

Why rainwater harvesting?

In many regions of the world, clean drinking water is

not always available and this is only possible with
tremendous investment costs and expenditure.
Rainwater is a free source and relatively clean and
with proper treatment it can be even used as a
potable water source. Rainwater harvesting saves
high-quality drinking water sources and relieves the
pressure on sewers and the environment by
mitigating floods, soil erosions and replenishing
groundwater levels. In addition, rainwater harvesting
reduces the potable water consumption and
consequently, the volume of generated wastewater.
Application areas
Rainwater harvesting systems can be installed in both
new and existing buildings and harvested rainwater
used for different applications that do not require
drinking water quality such as toilet flushing, garden
watering, irrigation, cleaning and laundry washing.
Harvested rainwater is also used in many parts of the
world as a drinking water source. As rainwater is very
soft there is also less consumption of washing and
cleaning powder. With rainwater harvesting, the
savings in potable water could amount up to 50% of
the total household consumption.

Criteria for selection of rainwater harvesting

technologies

Several factors should be considered when selecting

rainwater harvesting systems for domestic use:
• Type and size of catchment area
• Local rainfall data and weather patterns
• Family size
• Length of the drought period
• Alternative water sources
• Cost of the rainwater harvesting system.
When rainwater harvesting is mainly considered for
irrigation, several factors should be taken into
consideration. These include:
• Rainfall amounts, intensities, and evaporate-
transpiration rates
• Soil infiltration rate, water holding capacity, fertility
and depth of soil
• Crop characteristics such as water requirement and
length of growing period
• Hydrogeology of the site
• Socio-economic factors such as population density,
labor, costs of materials and regulations governing
water resources use.
Components of a rooftop rainwater harvesting
system

Although rainwater can be harvested from many

surfaces, rooftop harvesting systems are most
commonly used as the quality of harvested rainwater
is usually clean following proper installation and
maintenance. The effective roof area and the
material used in constructing the roof largely
influence the efficiency of collection and the water
quality.
Rainwater harvesting systems generally consist of
four basic elements:
(1) A collection (catchment) area
(2) A conveyance system consisting of pipes and
gutters
(3) A storage facility, and
(4) A delivery system consisting of a tap or pump.
Figure 2 shows a simple schematic diagram of a
rooftop rainwater harvesting system including
conveyance and storage facilities.
Fig. 2: A schematic diagram of a rooftop rainwater
harvesting system.

(1) A collection or catchment system is generally a

simple structure such as roofs and/or gutters that
direct rainwater into the storage facility. Roofs are
ideal as catchment areas as they easily collect large
volumes of rainwater.
The amount and quality of rainwater collected from a
catchment area depends upon the rain intensity, roof
surface area, type of roofing material and the
surrounding environment. Roofs should be
constructed of chemically inert materials such as
wood, plastic, aluminium, or fiberglass. Roofing
materials that are well suited include slates, clay tiles
and concrete tiles. Galvanized corrugated iron and
thatched roofs made from palm leaves are also
suitable. Generally, unpainted and uncoated surface
areas are most suitable. If paint is used, it should be
non-toxic (no lead-based paints).
(2) A conveyance system is required to transfer the
rainwater from the roof catchment area to the
storage system by connecting roof drains (drain
pipes) and piping from the roof top to one or more
downspouts that transport the rainwater
Through a filter system to the storage tanks.
Materials suitable for the pipe work include
polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) or stainless
steel.
Before water is stored in a storage tank or cistern,
and prior to use, it should be filtered to remove
particles and debris. The choice of the filtering
system depends on the construction conditions. Low-
maintenance filters with a good filter output and high
water flow should be preferred. “First flush” systems
which filter out the first rain and diverts it away from
the storage tank should be also installed. This will
remove the contaminants in rainwater which are
highest in the first rain shower.
(3) Storage tank or cistern to store harvested
rainwater for use when needed. Depending on the
space available these tanks can be constructed above
grade, partly underground, or below grade. They may
be constructed as part of the building, or may be
built as a separate unit located some distance away
from the building.
The storage tank should be also constructed of an
inert material such as reinforced concrete,
fibrocement (reinforced steel and concrete),
fiberglass, polyethylene, or stainless steel, or they
could be made of wood, metal, or earth. The choice
of material depends on local availability and
affordability. Various types can be used including
cylindrical fibrocement tanks, mortar jars (large jar
shaped vessels constructed from wire reinforced
mortar) and single and battery (interconnected)
tanks. Polyethylene tanks are the most common and
easiest to clean and connect to the piping system.
Storage tanks must be opaque to inhibit algal growth
and should be located near to the supply and
demand points to reduce the distance water is
conveyed.
Water flow into the storage tank or cistern is also
decisive for the quality of the cistern water. Calm
rainwater inlet will prevent the stirring up of the
sediment. Upon leaving the cistern, the stored water
is extracted from the cleanest part of the tank, just
below the surface of the water, using a floating
extraction filter. A sloping overflow trap is necessary
to drain away any floating matter and to protect from
sewer gases. Storage tanks should be also kept
closed to prevent the entry of insects and other
animals.
(4) Delivery system which delivers rainwater and it
usually includes a small pump, a pressure tank and a
tap, if delivery by means of simple gravity on site is
not feasible.
Disinfection of the harvested rainwater, which
includes filtration and/or ozone or UV disinfection, is
necessary if rainwater is to be used as a potable
water source.
Designing a rainwater harvesting system

For the design of a rainwater harvesting system,

rainfall data is required preferably for a period of at
least 10 years. The more reliable and specific the
data is for the location, the better the design will be.
Data for a given area can be obtained at the
meteorological departments, agricultural and
hydrological research centers and airports.
One simple method of determining the required
storage volume, and consequently the size of the
storage tank, is shown below:
With an estimated water consumption of 20 l/c*d,
which is the commonly accepted minimum, the
water demand will be = 20 x n x 365 l/year, where
n=number of people in the household. If there are
five people in the household then the annual water
demand is 36,500 liters or about 3,000 l/month. For a
dry period of four months, the required minimum
storage capacity would be about 12,000 liters.
As rainwater supply depends on the annual rainfall,
roof surface and the runoff coefficient, the amount of
rainwater that can be collected = rainfall (mm/year) x
area (m2) x runoff coefficient.
As an example: a metal sheet roof of 80 m2 with 800
mm rainfall/year will yield = 80 x 800 x 0.8 = 51,200
l/year.
Figure 3 demonstrates the cumulative roof runoff
(m3) over a one-year period and the cumulative
water demand (m3). The greatest distance between
these two lines gives the required storage volume
(m3) to minimize the loss of rainwater.

Fig. 3: Graphical method to determine the required

storage volume for a rainwater cistern (adapted
from Gould and Nissen-Petersen, 1999).
Types of rainwater use
Rainwater systems can be classified according to
their reliability, yielding four types of user regimes:
• Occasional - water is stored for only a few days in a
small container. This is suitable when there is a
uniform rainfall pattern with very few days without
rain and when a reliable alternative water source is
available.
• Intermittent - in situations with one long rainy
season when all water demands are met by
rainwater. During the dry season, water is collected
from other sources.
• Partial - rainwater is used throughout the year but
the 'harvest' is not sufficient for all domestic
demands. For example, rainwater is used for drinking
and cooking, while for other domestic uses (e.g.
bathing and laundry) water from other sources is
used.
• Full - for the whole year, all water for all domestic
purposes comes from rainwater. In such cases, there
is usually no alternative water source other than
rainwater, and the available water should be well
managed, with enough storage to bridge the dry
period.
This of the user regimes to be followed depends on
many variables including rainfall quantity and
pattern, available surface area and storage capacity,
daily consumption rate, number of users, cost and
affordability, and the presence of alternative water
sources.

10.6Benefits of rainwater harvesting

Rainwater harvesting in urban and rural areas offers

several benefits including provision of supplemental
water, increasing soil moisture levels for urban
greenery, increasing the groundwater table via
artificial recharge, mitigating urban flooding and
improving the quality of groundwater. In homes and
buildings, collected rainwater can be used for
irrigation, toilet flushing and laundry. With proper
filtration and treatment, harvested rainwater can
also be used for showering, bathing, or drinking. The
major benefits of rainwater harvesting are
summarized below:
• Rainwater is a relatively clean and free source of
water
• Rainwater harvesting provides a source of water at
the point where it is needed
• It is owner-operated and managed
• It is socially acceptable and environmentally
responsible
• It promotes self-sufficiency and conserves water
resources
• Rainwater is friendly to landscape plants and
gardens
• It reduces storm water runoff and non-point source
pollution
• It uses simple, flexible technologies that are easy to
maintain
• offers potential cost savings especially with rising
water costs
• provides safe water for human consumption after
proper treatment
• Low running costs
• Construction, operation and maintenance are not
labor-intensive.
Disadvantages
The main disadvantages of rainwater harvesting
technologies are the limited supply and uncertainty
of rainfall. Rainwater is not a reliable water source in
times of dry periods or prolonged drought. Other
disadvantages include:
• low storage capacity which will limit rainwater
harvesting, whereas, increasing the storage capacity
will add to the construction and operating costs
making the technology less economically feasible
• Possible contamination of the rainwater with
animal wastes and organic matter which may result
in health risks if rainwater is not treated prior to
consumption as a drinking water source
• Leakage from cisterns can cause the deterioration
of load-bearing slopes
• Cisterns and storage tanks can be unsafe for small
children if proper access protection is not provided.
Maintenance
Maintenance is generally limited to the annual
cleaning of the tank and regular inspection and
cleaning of gutters and down-pipes. Maintenance
typically consists of the removal of dirt, leaves and
other accumulated material. Cleaning should take
place annually before the start of the major rainfall
season. Filters in the inlet should be inspected every
about three months. Cracks in storage tanks can
create major problems and should be repaired
immediately.
Costs
The associated costs of a rainwater harvesting
system are for installation, operation and
maintenance. Of the costs for installation, the
storage tank represents the largest investment which
can vary between 30 and 45% of the total cost of the
system dependent on system size. A pump, a
pressure controller and fittings in addition to
plumber’s labor represent other major costs of the
investment.
In general, a rainwater harvesting system designed as
an integrated element of a new construction project
is more cost-effective than retrofitting a system. This
can be explained by the fact that many of the shared
costs (such as for roofs and gutters) can be designed
to optimize system performance and the investment
can be spread over time.

Rainwater quality standards

The quality of rainwater used for domestic supply is

of vital importance because, in most cases, it is used
for drinking. Rainwater does not always meet
drinking water standards especially with respect to
bacteriological water quality. However, just because
water quality does not meet some arbitrary national
or international standards, it does not automatically
mean that the water is harmful to drink.
Compared with most unprotected traditional water
resources, drinking rainwater from well-maintained
roof catchments is usually safe, even if it is
untreated. The official policy of the Australian
Government towards the question “Is rainwater safe
to drink?” is as follows: “Providing the rainwater is
clear, has little taste or smells and is from a well-
maintained system, it is probably safe and unlikely to
cause any illness for most users”. For immune-
compromised persons, however, it is recommended
that rainwater is disinfected through boiling prior to
consumption.

Drinking water from rainwater

In many countries of the world where water
resources are not available at a sufficient quality fit
for human consumption, rainwater acts as a
substitute for drinking water and other domestic
uses. In some remote islands around the globe,
rainwater may even act as the major potable water
source for their population.
The most important issue in collecting rainwater is
keeping it free of dirt such as leaves, bird droppings
and dead animals, and avoiding contamination with
pollutants like heavy metals and dust.
Rainwater can be also treated for use as a potable
water source. The use of slow sand filtration has
proved to be a simple and effective treatment
technology for the elimination of most of the organic
and inorganic pollutants that may be present in
rainwater, as well as producing virtually pathogen-
free water for drinking.
 CONCLUSION
As per my training report I have conclude that, during
last 30 days I am familiar with the construction of
rain water harvesting system. The basic knowledge of
rainwater harvesting system is important for future
water saving planning. I am very thankful to all those
people who help me to get knowledge of Rain Water
Harvesting System.