Increased awareness
Educated farmers and households on the long-term benefits of rainwater harvesting — a community behavioural shift that laid the foundation for widespread water conservation practices.
Rainwater harvesting program
A Coodu Trust drought-response initiative delivered across operational villages in multiple districts of Tamil Nadu — the foundation water conservation programme that helped pave the way for the 2003 state-wide RWH mandate.
2003
Government mandate
2002–2003
Implementation period
2001–2003
Drought period addressed
Foundation
Water conservation initiative
The project
What this project set out to do
Project mission
A timely and critical initiative to address severe drought conditions in Tamil Nadu through widespread adoption of rainwater harvesting techniques — conserving water, recharging groundwater sources, and building community resilience.
Launched to address the severe drought conditions experienced in Tamil Nadu between 2001 and 2003, this drought response initiative was implemented by Coodu Trust across operational villages in multiple districts, in the domain of the Municipal Administration & Water Supply department. The 2002–2003 programme deliberately focused on demonstration and awareness rather than construction counts — teaching communities how to capture, store and use rain where it falls.
The programme actively involved key community stakeholders — farmers, rural women and local panchayats — fostering collective responsibility for water conservation. Strategically aligned with a larger, state-mandated movement, its success contributed to the landmark government ordinance in 2003 that made RWH compulsory for all buildings in Tamil Nadu.
- Rainwater capture
- Groundwater recharge
- Community participation
- Sustainable agriculture
Why this work matters
The challenge on the ground — and our answer
The challenge
Severe drought and over-exploited groundwater
Between 2001 and 2003 Tamil Nadu faced severe drought, with communities dependent on over-exploited groundwater sources and little awareness of how to capture the rain that did fall.
Our response
Awareness and demonstration at village level
Extensive awareness campaigns and practical demonstrations of RWH techniques across operational villages — effective methods to capture and store rainwater and recharge groundwater.
The challenge
Water conservation without community ownership
Conservation efforts rarely last when villagers see them as someone else's responsibility — lasting change needs farmers, women and panchayats to take collective charge.
Our response
Stakeholder engagement that shaped policy
Farmers, rural women and local panchayats were actively involved, fostering collective responsibility — and the programme's success contributed to the 2003 ordinance making RWH compulsory for all buildings in Tamil Nadu.
At a glance
The essentials
- Scheme
- Trust initiativeImplemented by Coodu Trust — Municipal Administration & Water Supply department
- Period
- 2002–2003Responding to the severe drought of 2001–2003
- Coverage
- Operational villagesAcross multiple districts in Tamil Nadu
- Beneficiaries
- Farming communitiesFarmers, rural women & local panchayats
- Policy impact
- 2003 state mandateContributed to the ordinance making RWH compulsory for all buildings in Tamil Nadu
- Status
- Foundation programDrought response initiative — focus on demonstration & awareness
Outcomes
What the project changed
Groundwater recharge
Contributed to aquifer recharge and well revival, as part of the broader movement that led to measurable water table recovery.
Policy influence
Contributed to the 2003 state-wide mandate making RWH compulsory — and provided critical insights for Coodu Trust's subsequent water management projects.
Get involved
Support water conservation
Join us in conserving water, recharging groundwater and building drought resilience — community by community, across Tamil Nadu.