Rainwater harvesting from tanks - Useful yet, but can you drink it?

Abstract

Water supply A s demand for water grows in South Africa, alternative sources are actively being sought to augment conventional water supply. While domestic rainwater harvesting has been put forward as one such an alternative water supply, little information is available in South African on whether harvested rainwater is safe for human use or even how local communities feel about using the water from such an alternative source. Domestic rainwater harvesting involves the collection and storage of water from rooftops and diverse surfaces. To bridge this gap in knowledge, a team from the SU Department of Microbiology teamed up with the SU Department of Sociology and Social Anthropology to survey the quality of water from a community with rainwater harvesting tanks, and to collect information on if and how this water is being used. The project is funded by the Water Research Commission.

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