Sidewalk and overflow cisterns: Pond water catchment

Solution type: Soil water collection

• Objectives: Rainwater harvesting for food production and/or animal watering.

• Description: The technology provides access to water for food production, through the implementation of plate cisterns capable of storing 52 thousand liters, with a rainwater catchment area of 200 m² that causes water runoff, in the same way that happens in a stream that carries water. The cistern has a masonry made up of a wall, filters and pipes to block, direct and drain the rainwater that falls on the land. The surface is built with slabs and ceramic bricks with eight holes at a level above the cistern.

Location and selection of soil

Soil quality is not a determining factor for the implementation of this technology. The space required for the cistern is 8 m. in diameter and 1.8 m. deep, sufficient to receive the water from the catchment area (10 x 20 m.). It is necessary to locate the runoff catchment area on a higher plane, so that the water flows, according to the natural level, to the cistern.

Components

The system basically consists of a catchment area, a water storage tank and a filtration system to ensure greater water potability. The cistern is built by digging 1.8 m, taking care to regularize and level the depth, considering the slope of the land. The construction of walls is done in vertical cut using ceramic bricks and plates, the roof of waterproofing material and filters, one outside the storage tank, in the catchment area, and another inside, from where the water must be collected.

Cost and resources

• • • Approximately USD 2,000 

Advantages

• • • • The pyramidal trunk shape of the cisterns optimizes the volume of evaporated water (less than 2.0 mm).
      • The cisterns can be sized according to factors that directly or indirectly influence it, such as rainfall data, number of people in the family, period of water storage use, etc.
      • These cisterns are designed to collect and store rainwater, which reduces the load on water supply systems, for domestic and productive use, contributing to the conservation of water resources.
      • It is an effective measure to capture rainwater in areas at risk of flooding or with drainage problems.

       

       

Complexity

The construction of cisterns is a technique of intermediate complexity, but accessible to all levels of producers, since it uses local materials and resources that are easily accessible in rural areas. To guarantee the quality of the water, it requires periodic maintenance of the water flow, filters and impermeability of the cistern.

Sources:

• Araujo, J. B. C.; Pimentel, J. C. M.; Cavalcanti Junior, A. T.; Maia, C. W. C. P.; Silva, C. N. Da; Santos, M. E. C. M. Dos; Alves, A. M. C. Implantação de cisterna calçadão em área de quintal produtivo. Fortaleza: Embrapa Agroindústria Tropical, 2018.
• Porto, E.R.; Vivallo Pinare, Ag.; Wllllams Fuentes, C.O.; Silva, A De S.; Lopes, L. H. De O. Pequenos agricultores V: métodos de execução de sistemas integrados de produção agropecuária (SIP). Petrolina, PE; EMBRAPA-CPATSA, 1990.