Rain water harvesting and Open Well digging

[Visualizer]

Hi,

Today started digging a 3 feet dia open well.
Initally planned for 20 feet but now thinking of going to 25 feet. The site is near to lake so there is a possibility of shallow subsurface water table. Atleast can use this for gardening even if water is unfit for consumption.
Some 16 feet was dug in single day and they plan to finish tomorrow and put rings.

The well is in partial basement to collect all the rain water from one side of basement from open to sky area which i have left for tank and basement level garden.

Actually most people construct a concrete sump and put pump for rain water instead of concrete sump and pump i planned for a big pit more like a well which can take all the water for recharge.

All the rain water from my roof is going to be collected to single pipe which goes in a 14000 liter tank.

The over flow of this tank will go in the well.

Cost 85K for 20 feet with cement rings.

Here is the picture.

[rjblr]

14k litres is great VIsualizer.
Even I am thinking of large sump for rainwater. Plan to have a separate inlet for flush tank and few other points where i can use rain water.
I have thought about 10k for rainwater and 10k for cauvery/borewell water.
Would be great to hear from you about how you plan to use rainwater?

Wondering if you get Cauvery water as well?

[Visualizer]

Why to have two separate tanks and what is problem with using rainwater ? Rainwater is any day purer then Cauvery water through pipes so you can use it for everything you want to use Cauvery water for.

Have you checked how muddy Cauvery water gets in rains and many times contamination happen due to pipe breakages.
So may be use cauvery water for flush and rainwater for drinking

Rainwater has no such chance as long as you are installing first flush system ( pipe layout) to flush out first few minutes of rain to clean dust from roof.

[Visualizer]

IMG-20210325-WA0026.jpg (118.97 KiB) Viewed 5647 times

Rings added and stone jelly placed stopped at 20 feet (actually 23 feet from 0 level as level of well is at partial basement of 3 feet deep)

There was hard grey colour sand at 20 feet and digging was getting difficult and they asked 25K for another 5 feet. As per diggers there will be water in rains.

[msn1270]

Good Idea to have a open well for using the well water for outdoor usage (if you are lucky) or for using it as a recharge pit for Rainwater percolation. But many people of today, consider it as waste of space/Money or not auspicious as per Vasthu principle.....etc.

[rjblr]

Why to have two separate tanks and what is problem with using rainwater ? Rainwater is any day purer then Cauvery water through pipes so you can use it for everything you want to use Cauvery water for.

Have you checked how muddy Cauvery water gets in rains and many times contamination happen due to pipe breakages.
So may be use cauvery water for flush and rainwater for drinking

Rainwater has no such chance as long as you are installing first flush system ( pipe layout) to flush out first few minutes of rain to clean dust from roof.

Happy to hear that. I guess my lack of experience of using rainwater is leading to this mindblock.
Hopefully I am more open and convinced about using rainwater for everything by the time my house gets ready.
I do have plan to install first flush system.

[RashmiL]

Why to have two separate tanks and what is problem with using rainwater ? Rainwater is any day purer then Cauvery water through pipes so you can use it for everything you want to use Cauvery water for.

Exactly. Having two partition, two motors, multiple pipes running all are additional cost and maintenance intensive. I had to literally convince my architect that we will use rain water and do not want partition.

Only problem is generally we dry our clothes on terrace and washed clothes leave water mixed with washing powder. We have to ensure we clean terrace throurghly before start of rainy season and also allow 1 or 2 rain waters to flow through drainage.

[msn1270]

Yes Rashmi

The period from Jan to May month, gives rise to lot of dust due to dry season which will get accumulated on the terraces. In case you use the Rain water for Potable purpose, Generally the Rain which comes in the summer period like April end to May month, should not be directed to Sump as it contains lot of accumulated dust & also the chemicals used for Waterproofing...etc in the terraces. Generally we need to divert the initial 2-3 Rain water to the RWH percolation Pit Pit instead of Sump. You need to have a Plumbing option for this diversion.

Alternately you need to clean the terraces once in a week or two to keep it clean all the time.

[Visualizer]

This is how first rain water can be flushed a stop cock is placed at bottom of straight pipe and when water fills up till the junction it goes in sump tank after filtering.

A Y junction is best but with Y the pipe was going out of the column edge so placed a normal T junction.

[BloreBoy]

Hello Members. Thanks a lot of insightful posts.

Need your advice regarding percolation pit/recharge pit for rain water recharging. We stuck water at approx 700 ft. After the initial 3 feet, rest of the formation(697 feet) is full of rock. I m pretty sure percolation pit will not recharge our water source. Any ideas on what else can be done to recharge borewell aquifier?

Thanks in advance.