Assessment of rooftop rainwater harvesting in Ajloun, Jordan

Abstract

In response to water scarcity in Ajloun governorate, Jordan, the effectiveness of implementing rooftop rainwater harvesting (RRWH) was investigated. In addition, a structured questionnaire was prepared and distributed to randomly selected residents to assess the status of the current RRWH practices in the governorate and the people's perceptions of this practice. It was found that between 0.39 million cubic meters (MCM) in a dry year (2017) and 0.96 MCM in a wet year (2018) can be harvested, which is equivalent to 7.6% and 16.8% of the domestic water supply for these years, respectively. The analysis of a total of 360 questionnaires revealed that only 14.2% of the households in Ajloun governorate own an RRWH system. However, the majority, 80.6%, of those who do not own an RRWH system showed interest in installing one. An overwhelming majority of the sample, 96.7%, believes that the government should provide incentives to subsidize the construction of RRWH systems, which is attributed to the high initial cost of these systems. The technical and social feasibilities of RRWH, in addition to the high cost of the alternatives, justifies providing incentives, such as cost sharing for the consumers in Ajloun to implement RRWH systems. HIGHLIGHTS Rooftop rainwater harvesting is a technically and socially feasible option to address water shortage.; Assessment of the status of the current RRWH practices in Ajloun governorate, and the residents’ perceptions of these practices.; People in Ajloun governorate who own a rainwater harvesting system are in the minority.; The government of Jordan should provide financial assistance to encourage the installation of RRWH systems.;

Keywords

• ajloun
• questionnaire
• rainfall data
• rooftop rainwater harvesting
• rrwh