Who harvests rainwater?
For centuries the world has relied upon rainwater harvesting to supply water for household, landscape, and agricultural uses. Before city water systems were developed rainwater was collected (mostly from roofs) and stored in cisterns or storage tanks. The central plazas of towns were not only gathering places, but also the collection surfaces for underground tanks where water was stored for use by adjacent shops and homes. Historic structures collected rainwater from their roofs for household use. These systems may no longer be in use, but they are clear evidence of the reliance placed on rainwater . Today, many parts of the world, including Hawaii and the entire continent of Australia, promote rainwater as the principal means of supplying household water. On many Caribbean islands where rainwater is the most viable water supply option, public buildings, homes, and resorts all collect rainwater to supply their needs. In Hong Kong, rainwater is collected from skyscrapers to supply water