Rainwater Harvesting to Be Incorporated in Building Designs

EDMUND SMITH-ASANTE

Real Estate Developers and builders may soon be constrained to incorporate gutters in the roofs of their building designs to enable harvesting of rainwater into receptacles for use by occupants.

This will be done through a policy framework, which will be developed to ensure compliance by all builders so as to aid in addressing the shortfall in supply of potable water to communities and homes.

This was disclosed by Hon. A.S.K. Bagbin, Minister for Water Resources, Works and Housing (WRWH) as he outlined major policies concerning Ghana’s water sector, when he took his turn at the Meet-the-Press series, a forum created by the government to make known its plans and address issues concerning the various sectors of the economy, in Accra.

Speaking on rainwater harvesting as a sub heading in a statement he delivered on Thursday on Ghana’s water situation, he said “Sometimes, the key to unlocking our water problems simply falls from the blue skies.”

The Minister opined that rainwater harvesting has a great potential to enhance year round water availability in homes, farms, schools and offices.

He said “with the availability of water purifying equipment on the market, rainwater can be harvested and made wholesome, to supplement our overstretched supply systems.”

Quoting a battle cry adopted by the MWRWH, he said “For every bucket of pipe water we use, we should endeavour to capture one from the heavens.”

“In this regard, the Ministry will soon come out with a policy framework to implement an existing policy of harvesting rainwater as a way of life in this country,” Hon. Alban Bagbin divulged.

He revealed that government’s long term plan is to enact appropriate legislation to be implemented through authorities such as the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), to incorporate and enforce the harvesting of rainwater in new building designs.

“And the new ones that you are hearing of, we will insist, whether it is coming from Ghana, or Korea or China, they have to put rain harvesting designs in those communities,” the Minister stressed.