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Rain GEO SAT
Satellite Rainwater Harvesting Intelligence

Rainwater Harvesting Calculator: Rooftop Yield, Tank Volume & Recharge Sizing

The Rain GEO SAT rainwater harvesting calculator estimates annual rooftop yield in litres, sizes storage tanks against demand, and recommends recharge structures using site-specific rainfall from IMD, NASA POWER, Open-Meteo, and Meteostat. It follows IS 15797, CGWB Master Plan (2020), and CPHEEO manual conventions used by consulting engineers in India.

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How the yield formula works

Annual harvestable volume V (litres) = Catchment Area (m²) × Annual Rainfall (mm) × Runoff Coefficient. For an RCC rooftop with runoff coefficient 0.85, a 200 m² roof in a 900 mm rainfall zone yields 200 × 900 × 0.85 = 153,000 litres per year.

The platform corrects for first-flush diversion (typically 2 mm per rain event), evaporation from open tanks, and monthly rainfall distribution so the storage tank is not oversized for a single peak month.

Inputs the calculator needs

You provide catchment area, roof material, location, and household or building demand. Rainfall, soil, and elevation are auto-filled from remote sensing sources.

  • Rooftop area in m² (or ft², auto-converted)
  • Roof material — RCC (0.85), GI sheet (0.90), tiled (0.75), garden roof (0.35)
  • Location — auto-detected coordinates for rainfall lookup
  • Daily demand in litres per capita per day (LPCD)
  • Preferred use — direct use, storage + use, or recharge

Storage tank vs recharge structure — which one?

Storage tanks work when rainfall is well distributed and demand is continuous. In cities like Bengaluru and Chennai the platform typically recommends 5,000–20,000 L tanks for residential rooftops.

Recharge structures (pits, trenches, borewell recharge) are recommended where the water table is depleting, roof area is small, or piped supply is reliable. The Expert engine sizes recharge pits per CGWB norms — 1 m³ pit for every 25 m² of catchment as a rule of thumb, adjusted for local soil infiltration rate.

Frequently asked questions

How much water can a 1000 sq ft roof harvest?
Approximately 76,000 litres per year at 1000 mm annual rainfall (1000 sq ft ≈ 93 m² × 1000 mm × 0.85 runoff coefficient / 1000 = 79 kL, minus first-flush and evaporation losses).
Is this calculator suitable for regulatory submissions?
The Professional and Expert modes generate reports aligned with IS 15797:2008, CGWB Master Plan (2020), and CPHEEO manual formulas. Municipal corporations in Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Pune have accepted these formats.
Does the tool work outside India?
Yes. Rainfall is sourced from NASA POWER, Open-Meteo, and Meteostat globally. IMD is used inside India for the highest resolution.

Ready to apply this on your site?

Rain GEO SAT calculators use IMD, NASA POWER, Open-Meteo, and CGWB data to deliver engineer-grade rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge designs.

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