Harvesting rainwater on roofs

28/03/2007 The Star

PUTRAJAYA: The sky is the limit for the country's latest water conservation initiative. It will soon be mandatory for owners of buildings to install “rainwater harvesting” systems on rooftops and use the collected water for purposes other than consumption or bathing.

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said the move was to reduce the wastage of precious treated water to wash cars, flush toilets, clean drains or water plants.

He said a by-law to enforce water harvesting and storage systems would be formulated by the Housing and Local Government Ministry for adoption by local authorities.

“However, not all types of buildings will be required to have

the systems. It will only affect buildings with a considerable size of roof so that adequate rainwater can be collected. We are talking about larger buildings like facto-ries and institutions of higher learning.

“Small buildings, including low-cost houses, will not be required to harvest rainwater as it would be costly to install gutters for collection,” he said after chairing the National Water Council meeting yesterday.

Under the proposed system, water will flow from gutters into ponds or tanks from where they can be drawn for uses other than drinking, cooking and bathing.

Asked when the by-law would be enforced, Abdullah said once the draft had been prepared, it would be tabled at the Local Government Council, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak.