Project Background and Objectives

 A project for rainwater utilisation started in 1982. In big cities such as Tokyo, roads and sites are paved with concrete or asphalt. Due to it, water circulation in the big cities has been interfered and rainwater has neither moistened the ground nor been utilised as resources. In consequence, many of the big cities demanded water resources from dams further above. However, it is irrational to throw rainwater away and call for water resources to dams further above; people’s realisation of the inefficiency led to the start of the rainwater utilization project to collect water and have rainwater penetrate into the ground.

 Urban effects of a flood can be prevented by keeping rainwater in rainwater tanks and the rainwater saved can also be used as an alternative source of water supply in an emergency such as a big earthquake. In addition, the rainwater can be utilised for tree planting on the roof and by windows of a building; as a consequence, this can alleviate heat pollution in cities.

 Activities by People for Rainwater aim at cities’ independence of outside water sources and the revival of natural water circulation and urban environment in cities on the initiative of citizens.

Project Abstract and Effects of Project

The followings are the main fields of activities by People for Rainwater:

1. Research in Culture and Livelihoods Related to Rainwater
   To get rain back to our everyday life, cultural research on rain and livelihoods has been conducted. One of the outcomes is the completion of a rain encyclopaedia called Sky Water, which is about rainwater utilisation.
2. International Cooperation and Support through Rainwater
   People for Rainwater has given international cooperation and support through rainwater. For example, the Sky Water Project has started in cooperation with NPOs in Bangladesh to secure safe drinking water with rain water as underground water in Bangladesh has been contaminated with arsenic. In March 2002, the English version of the rain encyclopaedia was published in collaboration with Sumida Ward, UNEP and IETC.
3. The Spread and Enlightenment of Rainwater
   Various projects for the spread and enlightenment of rainwater such as rainwater fairs and seminars and international conferences and workshops on rainwater have been undertaken from citizens’ point of view. A bulletin of People for Rainwater: Amamizu and other rainwater-related books have also been published. In 2001, People for Rainwater participated in the establishment of the Reference Room, where is an information source of rainwater. The Reference Room has been set up as an annex to the Sumida Environmental Awareness Center in Sumida Ward, Tokyo.People for Rainwater also took part in the establishment of the Rain Water House in the same centre in 2005. On top of that, a database on rainwater is under construction.

Rainwater Tank

Distinctive Features of Project (Factors and Keys toSuccess)

1. Rainwater utilisation is gradually taking roots in society by bringing up an activity to utilise rainwater stored in local communities and then, letting the administration and companies know the outcomes. More than 3,400 buildings utilising rainwater have been built in Japan so far. In recent years, rainwater is also getting utilised for residential development.
2. Under the Sky Water Project, the transfer of the technology and know-how developed in Japan has contributed to the breakthrough of the water crisis in the world. For instance, People for Rainwater has succeeded in developing an inexpensive concrete tank and bamboo water-intake equipment with local NPOs in Bangladesh and about 300 of them have already been equipped there. The project has introduced the micro credit system as a source of funds, which has made the project sustainable.
3. The national and international spread of human and information network concerning rainwater has helped projects utilising rainwater to work more efficiently. In August 2005, an international conference on the subject of “Connect the World, and Resolve the Water Crisis in Asia” was held on the initiative of People for Rainwater in Tokyo. More than 2,100 people participated in the conference from all over the world and a practical issue on how to make water utilisation a part of the social machinery was discussed. People for Rainwater is making efforts to spread the ‘rainwater network’ more and establish the International Rainwater Centre, where will be a base of its international activities.

Relevant Websites

• People for Rainwater Website: http://www.skywater.jp/index_j.html (some parts in English)

Reference Information

• Introduction of the Grand Prize of The 4th Japan Water Prize
• “Let’s Try Water Utilisation”,  “Sky Water”
• People for Rainwater Website

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