Rainwater Harvesting System for Dormitories of METU - Northern Cyprus Campus

Abstract

Water scarcity in the Mediterranean islands has become an important issue to be addressed due to inadequate water supplies and low precipitation in the region. Rainwater harvesting system (RWHS) is one of the promising solutions to overcome the water shortage which not only conserves water resources but also reduces the overall carbon foot print of water collection and distribution cycle. This paper presents the theoretical potential of rainfall in Northern Cyprus for constructing a Rainwater Harvesting System for the dormitories of Middle East Technical University – Northern Cyprus Campus. Instead of introducing RWHS in each of the three dormitories ineffectively, it is found to be realistic for non-potable uses in only one dormitory with an overall collected volume of 2831 m3 and a volumetric reliability of ~93%. The results of this study provide an opportunity for water scarce regions to use their limited resources in an efficient manner