Rainwater harvesting in Australia using an Australia-wide model : a preliminary analysis

![CDATA[As the world's population is increasing, so the demand for fresh water is augmenting simultaneously. Groundwater resources are being utilized faster than they can be recharged, and surface water is becoming limited due to higher water use. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is recognised as a sustainable means to overcome water scarcity and cope with the climate change and variability. RWH can be an important supplementary source of water in parts of the world like Australia where water demand is very high compared to many developing countries. Furthermore, Australia is one of driest continents and has the most variable rainfall with long periods of intense droughts and occasional devastating floods. Due to the higher water demand and environmental awareness, RWH systems have become popular in Australia in recent years. This study explores how rainwater can be harvested across Australia. In this study, daily rainfall stations covering three study periods, such as 30 years (1986-2015), 50 years (1966-2015), and 70 years (1946-2015) are used. Spatial analysis is carried out to demonstrate rainfall variability and the potential of rainwater harvesting in Australia. The ongoing study is aimed to develop a model to design an optimum RWH system at any arbitrary location in Australia.]]