Rainwater harvesting for drinking: a physiochemical assessment in Port Vila, Vanuatu

Abstract

Rainwater harvesting for drinking purpose has been a great source for survival by many societies since ages and now scarcity in water resources has been forcing many others to follow. Even though, rainwater harvesting is an exploitative practice where there is abundance of rainfall, but the methods in which harvesting process are carried needs to be studied in detail. The present study was a systematic physiochemical analysis of harvested rainwater for drinking purpose in Port Vila, Vanuatu where 22 sites were studied for two consecutive seasons. Notable mean variations were observed in total dissolved solids (TDS) with 63.84 mg/L, pH 0.4 and electrical conductivity (EC) with 98.9 µS/Cm. The mean standard deviation of 3.6 mg/L in acidity of pre and post monsoon seasons was also been a noted concern. Timing, extent of rainfall along with the usage had shown variations in the constituent’s concentrations. The study revealed that the standards for the harvested drinking water are compromised at some sites either in one or multiple physiochemical parameters. People in Port Vila continue to consume the harvested water due to cultural practices and beliefs related to rainwater. It was observed that proper management and adaptation to new technologies would yield better quality of the harvested water.