INVESTIGATION OF DRINKING WATER DEMAND AND ITS COMPENSATION THROUGH ADOPTION OF RAIN WATER HARVESTING IN THANJAVUR

Rainwater is one of the natural and renewable resource for drinking, which forms the base for human existence on earth. This life blood of all living beings has been blindly consumed by human globally at a rate, that surpass the earth's ability to recharge its water capacity and almost forcing the future generation to wage a war on water. At present, global warming, greenhouse gas emissions, fast depletion of ground water table, over draining of water resources for agricultural, industrial, commercial and domestic purposes are the few significant reasons that made harvesting rain water as the paramount need of the world. In India, according to a report from National Institution for Transforming India (NITI) Aayog, the total demand of water will increase up to 22% in 2025 and 32% in 2050 respectively. Today, drinking water is becoming the scanty source and costlier around dry regions of both north and southern parts of the country. In this paper, attempt has been made to examine the present status of water demand and rain water harvesting (RWH) potential in Thanjavur, a small town in the state of Tamil Nadu located in Southern India.