Water Quality of Rainwater Harvesting Systems and Acceptance of Their Reuse in Young Users: An Exploratory Approach

Pablo Vidal, Ana María Leiva, Gloria Gómez, Marcela Salgado and Gladys Vidal ()
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Pablo Vidal: Engineering and Biotechnology Environmental Group (GIBA-UDEC), Environmental Science Faculty, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4070386, Chile
Ana María Leiva: Engineering and Biotechnology Environmental Group (GIBA-UDEC), Environmental Science Faculty, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4070386, Chile
Gloria Gómez: Engineering and Biotechnology Environmental Group (GIBA-UDEC), Environmental Science Faculty, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4070386, Chile
Marcela Salgado: Water Research Center for Agriculture and Mining (CRHIAM), ANID FONDAP Center, Concepción 4070411, Chile
Gladys Vidal: Engineering and Biotechnology Environmental Group (GIBA-UDEC), Environmental Science Faculty, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4070386, Chile

Resources, 2024, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: The main objective of this study is to evaluate the water quality of different rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems and the social acceptance of their reuse in young users as an exploratory approach. Three RWH systems were implemented, and the quality of harvested rainwater was evaluated focusing on physicochemical and in situ parameters. Social acceptance was studied in one of the RWH systems using an adapted technology acceptance model. An informative talk about the operation of RWH was given to the users, who were students from a rural primary school. Surveys were conducted before and after the talk to evaluate the impact of providing information to users. The social acceptance was studied in one of the RWH systems. The results indicated that the harvested rainwater from RWH systems was suitable for reuse in agriculture despite the increase in turbidity and chloride concentrations in the outlet tap. The concentration of turbidity, phosphate as phosphorus, chloride and nitrate ranged between 0.8 and 1.9 NTU, 0.01–0.2 mg/L, 2.8–5.0 mg/L and 0.3–0.9 mg/L, respectively. In the acceptance study, the survey results and correlation analyses showed that providing information to users is crucial for increasing the acceptance of RWH systems. Moreover, this study demonstrated that RWH systems are a viable alternative technology for reusing and supplying water in arid and semiarid areas.

Keywords: rainwater harvesting systems; water quality; social acceptance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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