While the showers that lash the city during the monsoon season invariably throw day-to-day life out of gear for Mumbaikars, causing annoyance, they help Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) save about 26 lakh litres of water annually.
Rainwater harvesting has been promoted globally as a sustainable practice to ensure water is conserved and reused properly. The curved terrace surface of the airport is used to collect rainwater, which is further stored in underwater tanks.
Water is also collected by the trees planted around the airport to incorporate it directly into the groundwater. This happens as the trees intercept and absorb rainwater, which then slowly percolates through the soil and into the groundwater. This process is a natural form of water conservation and can help replenish underground aquifers.
As a critical airport in the country that handles approximately 950 aircraft movements daily, CSMIA uses a vast amount of water for sanitation purposes and usage in washrooms. The airport lets the first rainwater run off as it contains dust and impurities, after which it collects all the water, which is further treated and used in the washrooms of both terminals.
Vanshika Patel, a flyer, said, “I have always wondered if airports save rainwater for future usage, and if they are actually saving up to 26 lakh litres every year, that is a good step towards sustainability.”
