The state is struggling to meet the rising water demand. It is time to learn from the days when people arranged their own water. In cities and in villages. A special report by the CENTRE FOR SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT

Rainwater is as usable to the industrialised North as to the underdeveloped South. As important to the poor, rural household as to the gardens and kitchens of the rich. Its value is universal

Rainwater harvesting started in the country in 1989 as a part of an income-generating programme assisted by the International Development Research Centre, Canada. Under the programme, some 500

Rooftop catchments and cisterns have met the water needs of many small Caribbean islands for over three centuries. More than 500,000 people depend on such systems of water storage. In Saint

Thailand is one of the world's leading rainwater harvesting nations. The National Jar Programme was launched to supply clean drinking water to rural areas under the United Nations Water Supply and

Captured rainwater has regenerated degraded lands in Kenya. Eroded grazing areas have been rejuvenated by building mini-catchments using a 'pitting and ridging technique' known as katumani.

Builder R Jeyakumar's technique is simple and cost-effective. The areas surrounding building complexes in Chennai are cemented. The rain water is allowed to flow on to the road. The first step, says