MAWS Dept. issues guidelines for construction and maintenance of RWH structures in T.N.

Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay launched a State-wide campaign to prioritise rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge at the Marina on October 21. | Photo Credit: B. JOTHI RAMALINGAM The Municipal Administration and Water Supply (MAWS) Department has issued guidelines for the construction, maintenance and rejuvenation of rainwater harvesting (RWH) structures to promote sustainable water management in Tamil Nadu.The guidelines follow a proposal submitted earlier by the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board.The State government launched its RWH awareness campaign in October to encourage harnessing rainwater as a public movement. Various government agencies are involved in auditing RWH structures in different types of buildings and creating awareness on maintenance of RWH structures.In a bid to convert awareness into action, an expert committee comprising officials from Directorate of Municipal Administration, Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage Board, and Chennai Metrowater has finalised proposals for constructing new RWH structures and rejuvenating existing ones.The proposals have been incorporated in the guidelines that would be implemented across the State. The government would use the guidelines to enforce the implementation of building rules and RWH on all premises.In a government order issued on Monday, the MAWS Department has directed all district collectors and local bodies to coordinate with other government agencies to implement the proposed measures throughout the State.Rainwater harvesting has been mandatory in Tamil Nadu since 2002. For instance, teams of Chennai Metrowater have been visiting multi-storied buildings as part of the RWH campaign in the city. The water agency has written to commercial buildings, including theatres, highlighting the significance of maintaining RWH structures, officials said.The guidelines have detailed measures to harvest rainwater from rooftop or through open wells and recharge wells according to the soil layer in an area. It has also specified RWH methods to be adopted in various types of buildings and public spaces.Storage structures such as check dams and percolation ponds must be desilted for groundwater recharge of the region, it said. The MAWS Department has also instructed that government institutions must designate officials to supervise RWH structures’ maintenance. Published - November 03, 2026 06:56 pm IST