Water supply at the Bhil School, Jhabua, through rainwater harvesting
Clean drinking water is a problem in big parts of the world and also in Jhabua, where we, API, are building our new residential school at the moment.
There rainwater harvesting will serve many purposes and solve many problems. The school yard will house a large water cistern, which can hold about 300,000 liters of rainwater.
During the monsoon season from end June to end September, massive amounts of rainwater will be collected on the roof of the large rectangular school building and the verandahs and will be channeled through pipes into water processing tanks in the corners of the yard (where the water will be filtered through rubble and sand) and from there into the large tank at the center.
The rainwater collected in the tank is free of fluoride and thus a safe source of drinking water, which will be regularly monitored by taking samples for bacteriologic testing.
Therefore the clean water supply shall be guaranteed by a rainwater harvesting system.
The tank measures 12x12 meters, comprising about 300.000 liter, in the middle of the courtyard. At a height of two meters, it will emerge from the ground by one meter and form a large platform on which benches and tables will be built for the students to take their meals. Taps will be places at the sides of the tank for the students to get their drinking water from.
Other water tanks on the roof of the building will be filled with groundwater and will only serve for baths and toilets, in which the high fluoride levels of the groundwater will not pose a danger for the health of the children.
In this way, the water supply for the whole school is assured, and children and employees are provided with clean and safe drinking water. At the same time, students and their parents will be educated about the use of rainwater harvesting.
The whole Rainwater system will be constructed entirely by the Students and Staff and the maintenance of the tank will also be done by them after having a special training for this in Rajasthan.
Additionally to all this Jürgen’s son Fabian travels to the school almost every weekend from Delhi to discuss and supervise all new improvements. The 4 young German volunteers staying constantly in Jhabua also constantly control all construction work and report us back.
The attached estimate is a basic estimate for 200 children and should be doubled up before the school has 500 children including hostel.
| Estimate of basis RCC watertank for Bhil School at Jhabua | |||
| 1. | Excavation in hard soil i/c removal of exavated material | 320m³ @ 70/m³ | RS 22400.00 |
| 2. | 1:4:8 Foundation cone with 40mm B.T. metal M10 | 32.00 m³ @ 1200/m³ | RS 38400.00 |
| 3. | 1:2:$ R.C.C. work with 20&12 mm nominal size metal for slab, beam, column lintial, Chajja, etc. Excluding reinforcement¢ing, etc. | 82.00m³ @ 2000/m³ | RS 164000.00 |
| 4. | False work for centing & shuttering A B | 57.00 m² @60/m² 250.00m² @120/m² | RS 30000.00 |
| 5. | Iron work for reinforcement i/c cutting, bending, binding, etc. | 3960.00kg @ 30/kg | RS 118200.00 |
| 6. | brick masonry for plinth & foundation in Cm 1:6 | 24.00 m³ @ 1200/m³ | RS 28800.00 |
| Total | RS 405220.00 | ||
€ 7.400,00 |
|||
Ground plan with Rainwater harvesting tank in the courtyard
Water supply at the new Bhil School, Jhabua, through rainwater harvesting
Most of you will know that we are building a new school in Jhabua at the moment, the Bhil English Medium School for finally 500 kids.
As you can easily imagine it needs lots of clean drinking water which is a big problem as in many parts of the world also in the area of Jhabua.
We have decided to build a rainwater harvesting system, because it will serve many purposes and solve many problems. The school yard will house a large water cistern, a tank measuring 12 x 12 meters, which can hold about 300,000 liters of rainwater.
During the monsoon season massive amounts of rainwater will be collected on the roof of the large rectangular school building and the verandahs.
From there it will be channeled through pipes into corner tanks, where the water will be filtered through rubble and sand and will then be collected in the large tank at the center of the courtyard.
Therefore the clean water supply shall be guaranteed by a rainwater harvesting system. The tank measures 12 x 12 meters, comprising about 300.000 liters.
Other water tanks on the roof of the building will be filled with groundwater and will only serve for bathrooms and toilets.
In this way, the water supply for the whole school is assured, and children and employees are provided with clean and safe drinking water. At the same time, students and their parents will be educated about the use of precious water.
The whole Rainwater system will be constructed and maintained entirely by the Students and Staff after undergoing a special training for this in Rajasthan.
Additionally to all this Jürgen’s son Fabian travels to the school almost every weekend from Delhi to discuss and supervise all new improvements. The 4 young German volunteers who are staying constantly in Jhabua also permanently control all construction work and report us back so we can guarantee that the project is very well looked after.
The attached estimate is a basic estimate for 200 children and should be doubled up before the school has 500 children including hostel.