Rain In Summer

How beautiful is the rain!

After the dust and heat,
In the broad and fiery street,
In the narrow lane,
How beautiful is the rain!
How it clatters along the roofs
Like the tramp of hoofs!
How it gushes and struggles out
From the throat of the overflowing spout!
Across the window-pane
It pours and pours;
And swift and wide,
With a muddy tide,
Like a river down the gutter roars
The rain, the welcome rain!
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882).
Advantages:

Provides water for plants, especially for farming - most farmers in 3rd world countries
depend on the rain

Provides drinking water

Recycles water from all over the world back to the ground

Washes away dust and dirt and cleans the air

Disadvantages:

Causes erosion

Causes flooding

Can damage plants and rocks if it is too acidic

Keeps you inside when you want to play outside :)

Advantages

1. Low-cost Maintenance

Once the system is all up and running, you really dont need to invest much money in
keeping it running. If you intend only to use the collected water for non-drinking purposes,
you dont even need to purify the water.
2. Lower Water Bills
Collecting your own water means spending less on the water companies water. Water
can be used to flush toilets, wash clothes and dishes, and to water gardens. On a bigger
scale, rainwater harvesting can lead to major savings for households or small
businesses.
3. Great for Irrigation
Rainwater is not subjected to any chemicals found in ground water and therefore is ideal
for irrigation as well as for watering plants in the garden.
4. Reduces Ground Water Demand
As our population increases, so does the demand for water. In many areas, ground water
is extracted to keep up with demand and this has lead to low levels of ground water being
left over.
5. Reduces Soil Erosion and Floods
By keeping rainwater from reaching the ground, it is possible to prevent flooding if carried
out on a large-enough scale. Rainwater harvesting also reduces soil erosion and keeps
surface water from being contaminated with pesticides and fertilizers from rainwater runoff.
6. Multi-Purpose
Rainwater can be used for all sorts of things from flushing toilets, to washing clothes,
cars, and dishes, to keeping the garden freshly watered.

Disadvantages

1. Unreliable rainfall
Isnt it just always the case that right when you need something it suddenly isnt there?
Rain is no different, and it cant be relied upon to fall exactly when its needed. However,
here in the UK we shouldnt worry too much. You are unlikely to spend very long periods
of time without plenty of rainwater to use.
2. Starting costs
Installing a rainwater harvesting system can be costly, with systems ranging from the low
hundreds to the low thousands in cost. Similarly to solar panels, costs can be recovered
in 10-15 years depending upon the rainfall and the systems sophistication.
3. High-energy Maintenance
Rainwater harvesting tanks will take a lot of looking after, and even if this doesnt cost
much in terms of money it can become a chore. Systems can be infiltrated by rodents,
algae, and insects, and can become breeding grounds for all sorts of creatures if not
properly maintained.
4. Chemical roof seepage
Some kinds of roof coverings will seep chemicals which will prove harmful to plant life if
the water is used to sustain it.
5. Storage limits
You may find that you cannot store all of the water you would like to, and this could mean
having to tailor your water usage to the capacity of the tank.
Its up to you!

There is no right way of going about many things, and often there are cons to the pros.
Overall, rainwater harvesting is beneficial to the environment and could be helpful to your
bank account. Just remember to consider both the advantages and disadvantages of
rainwater harvesting before you settle on a decision.

Bardo Chham
is a folk dance of Sherdukpens, a small community of West Kameng District of
Arunachal Pradesh

Bihu Dance

Nongkrem Dance: MeghalaYA

Chang Lo dance or Sua Lua:Nagaland

Tripura
Hojagiri

Manipuri Classical dance

Mizoram