Climate1 min read

Hyderabad man builds over 600 rainwater pits after learning the skill himself

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Ranga Prasad founded HydRainHarvest in November 2016 to engineer long-lasting rainwater harvesting structures and rehabilitate neglected units across Hyderabad. Although the city receives roughly 810 mm of rain annually, much of this resource is lost because only an estimated 350 out of 1,000 homes have recharge pits, many of which suffer from silt blockages and poor maintenance. Prasad constructs systems designed to last up to 25 years, catering to both standalone homes and massive residential layouts. In a Kokapet gated community spanning 40 acres, his installation of 40 individual recharge units and four large silt-trapped structures helped reduce monthly tanker trips from 100 down to 25…

Key points

  • Proper maintenance and filtration checks are critical to prevent urban rainwater harvesti…: Proper maintenance and filtration checks are critical to prevent urban rainwater harvesting systems from failing prematurely.
  • Implementing comprehensive groundwater recharge structures can reduce residential relianc…: Implementing comprehensive groundwater recharge structures can reduce residential reliance on external water tanker deliveries by up to 75 percent.
  • Expanding rainwater harvesting initiatives from single-family houses to neighbourhood-wid…: Expanding rainwater harvesting initiatives from single-family houses to neighbourhood-wide systems offers a viable solution for urban water conservation.

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When Hyderabad faced a water shortage in 2015, Ranga Prasad wanted to do something practical about it. He decided to install a rainwater recharge pit at the premises he had leased in Gachibowli. But there was one problem: he could not find someone who could do the job.

Instead of giving up, Prasad decided to learn how to build one himself. What began as a personal effort to conserve water gradually became a full-time mission. Nearly a decade later, through his organisation HydRainHarvest, he says he has helped install more than 600 rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge systems across Hyderabad. His journey is a reminder that solving an environmental problem does not always begin with a large organisation or a government campaign. Sometimes, it starts with one person trying to find an answer to a problem in their own neighbourhood.

From searching for help to learning the work himself

Before focusing on rainwater conservation, Prasad was running an organic food business and a fitness and yoga centre in Gachibowli. He had also been involved in climate change awareness campaigns since…

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