RAINWATER HARVESTING IN URBAN CITIES OF SOUTH EASTERN NIGERIA

Water is generally a panacea for good health hence water is health. Man is exceedingly in terrible jeopardy once water ceases to go round the body. Moreover it is equally used in various domestic, agricultural and industrial activities. Despite the fact that up to seventy nine percent of the entire earth surface, is covered with water, majority of the world population especially in developing countries like Nigeria are still confronted with unprecedented inadequacy of good potable water supply. In Eastern part of Nigeria, more than before, people are getting conscious of rainwater harvesting as a good alternative to water supply instead of waiting for the government that has failed in their capacity to provide steady supply of water, even in their cities. Nowadays, people in the cities are getting much involved in harvest of rainwater that they consider it in many endeavours of their daily life. They no longer see it as an act better applied in the rural communities because of its previously crude system of harvesting. Some non-governmental organizations harvest rainwater to help the unprivileged people in the cities; reason being a function of government neglect in the provision of these all-important commodity. There are different approaches both in system of its harvest and storage, and according to the capacity of each harvester. This study looks into these systems that are in vogue in the cities of the south eastern Nigeria and their implications to life