With parts of Maharashtra facing drought conditions and growing water-security concerns, the Olava Foundation, an NGO working on rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge for nearly 40 years, is promoting local water-conservation solutions.
On October 2, 2026, the foundation completed a rainwater conservation and storage project at the Zilla Parishad school in Junewani, Nagpur district, with CSR support and coordination with the GST department. The system collects and filters rooftop rainwater for storage or groundwater recharge and is also designed as a practical water-conservation lesson for students.The foundation cites Pardi village in Morshi taluka, Amravati, as a successful example. Around 2001, villagers reportedly travelled 1.5–2 km to fetch water despite living near the Upper Wardha reservoir. After water-conservation and groundwater-recharge interventions, the village became tanker-free in 2002–03. Similar projects were undertaken in Jiwti Pahad, Chandrapur, where villagers travelled nearly 1 km downhill for water, as well as in Akola, Khamgaon, Shegaon, Nandura, Malkapur, Melghat, Latur, Jalgaon and Aurangabad.
Depending on local terrain, the projects use rooftop harvesting, trenches, pits and groundwater-recharge structures. The foundation says around 500 people in Amravati division have received three-day training on assessing local water conditions, rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge. Its training programmes for Jalduts, volunteers and water workers have reportedly supported more than 5,000 projects, while over 2,000 awareness lectures have been conducted in schools, colleges and among farmers across India. The foundation also experimented with road-based rainwater harvesting in Amravati, diverting runoff from roads towards groundwater recharge instead of allowing it to flow into drains. It argues that retaining rainwater where it falls, balancing groundwater extraction with recharge, and treating and reusing wastewater are essential for long-term water security.
The initiative demonstrates how decentralised rainwater harvesting, groundwater recharge and community participation can reduce dependence on tankers and external water sources, particularly in drought-prone regions
Source: Times of India