Quality of Rainwater Runoff on Roofs and Its Relation to Uses and Rain Characteristics in the Villa Alexandra and Acacias Neighborhoods of Kennedy, Bogota, Colombia
Publication: Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 139, Issue 10
Abstract
In Colombia, several communities with limited or uncertain access to drinking water services collect rainwater for various domestic uses. This paper presents the results of a water quality analysis of the rainwater runoff from roofs in Kennedy (Bogota) to evaluate the suitability of adapting this water to satisfy domestic uses in this district. Based on the high values of turbidity and biochemical oxygen demand, and on the high concentrations of total suspended solids and heavy metals found in the studied rainwater, it is concluded that the water samples are not suitable for any of the domestic uses currently employed by the citizenry. Nevertheless, a high spatial and temporal variability was detected, in addition to variability as a function of the roof material. In particular cases, the runoff water from roofs may be adapted as an alternative source for domestic uses in the district.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the Un Techo para mi país Colombia Foundation, the collaborators in Kennedy, the students of Civil Engineering Valentina Marín, Jorge Andrés González, Juan Camilo Suarez, Julian David Pinzon and Alejandra Ruiz for their valuable assistance in the sampling field and laboratory tests, Dr. Liliana Lopez-Kleine for his support in the statistical analysis and Laboratorio de Pruebas y Ensayos of the Faculty of Engineering at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Environmental Engineering
Volume 139 • Issue 10 • October 2013
Pages: 1273 - 1278
Copyright
© 2013 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: May 15, 2012
Accepted: Jun 6, 2013
Published online: Jun 8, 2013
Published in print: Oct 1, 2013
Discussion open until: Nov 8, 2013
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