Please carefully read the introduction to the eToolkit to get an overview and some practical hints of how to make an optimal use of this course.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ask for halving the quota of population without access to safe water by the year 2015. A high percentage of the population without this access by now is rather difficult to supply with conventional means. More un-conventional, innovative solutions are needed.

Rainwater harvesting has long been neglected. It is a long-used, widespread and currently expanding water supply technique that can assist in achieving the Millennium Development Goals. But it is still largely marginal to professional water-supply practice. This toolkit wants to give information in order to expand its use.

The course is designed to give a background knowledge of rainwater harvesting to all those interested. It is intended for people working in NGOs and governments who think that rainwater harvesting could be used within their work.

The content is kept at a level that development workers as well as engineers can understand the concept. External sources are given for those interested in more details of the different aspects. The modules are designed for a study time of around 20-30 hours in total.
Small self-assessment exams are completing each module. You may use them to check your comprehension of the content.

After having studied the toolkit-material, you should be able

• to explain the functioning of a rainwater harvesting system and its components
• to design a concept for a rainwater harvesting system when supplied with the necessary information (water demand, rainfall, catchment area)
• to draw from successful applications of rainwater harvesting around the world
• to determine the appropriateness of a given rainwater harvesting system

The toolkit is for self instruction. Please feel free to either browse thru the content to pick out the most relevant information or to pass the toolkit systematically.

The best results will be obtained by following the table of content. But also those who are only  interested in specific aspects of rainwater harvesting will find useful information.

If you go thru the content carefully, you should reckon with a total of around 20-30 hours for reading.

At the start of each new chapter, the red box at the top of the page will give you learning objectives or an overview of the lesson. Questions on rainwater harvesting in general or for specific problems can be asked at the SEARNET forum, a forum of rainwater harvesting practitioners who will try and answer the questions (to proceed to SEARNET please use the link on the left side).

For bandwidth reasons, all figures and photos have been diminuished in size. You can click on all figures, photos, tables etc to enlarge them.

We also provided a "Feedback" button on relevant pages, where you can forward your comment on the specific topic of the lesson. You are also able to see comments of other participants on the right hand side of the pages.

Even if you do not wish to comment specific points, we would very much appreciate learning about your impressions regarding the content and the presentation of the toolkit. This will give us the opportunity to further improve it. If you missed something in here, let us know!

You will NOT ...

have to enroll as a participant,
need to go thru the material step by step in order to pass an exam,
have a teacher at your side to tell you about what is wrong and what (perhaps...) is right.

You'll need …

the interest to know more about Rainwater Harvesting,
to be open and try new ways to solve problems,
some hours of your time.

We'll be grateful …

*if you'll find the material useful,
*if you would share your opinion, your questions and answers, your experiences with other readers of the toolkit. Use the "give your feedback" line at the bottom of the relevant pages to submit yourcomments!
*if this could develop as a platform promoting the use of rainwater for the benefit of the poor.

 

Happy learning - and applying

Elizabeth Khaka, UNEP Nairobi, Kenya

Maimbo Malesu, RELMA Nairobi, Kenya

Dirk Hangstein, Margraf Publishers Weikersheim, Germany

Hans Hartung, FAKT Weikersheim, Germany

 

...we are looking forward to receive your comments!

Click the link submit a FEEDBACK

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