A low-cost rainwater collection system developed by scientists at Mexico’s Chapingo autonomous university (UACh) could provide a potable water solution for the country’s rural and indigenous communities, researcher Javier Sбnchez Mora told BNamericas.

The system involves collecting rainwater on rooftops before transferring it to storage tanks. The water can then be purified for human consumption or used in agriculture, Sбnchez said.

For a community of around 2,000 inhabitants, the rainwater collection system would cost around 1mn pesos (US$81,800) per year, Sбnchez said, adding that each system has a guaranteed 10-year lifespan.

“This is a very cheap system if you compare it with the cost of digging deep wells, and there are also added benefits such as reducing the strain on underground water reserves,” the researcher said.

The system has been tested in Michoacбn state, and there are plans to introduce it in parts of Oaxaca, Morelos and Puebla states.

“We don’t make use of rainwater as much as we should. Generally, in urban areas, the rainy season is considered a time of risk. We believe it should represent an opportunity to solve the problem of water availability and quality,” Sбnchez said.

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