American Journal of Water Science and Engineering 2016; 2(4): 20-28 http://www.sciencepublishinggroup.com/j/ajwse doi: 10.11648/j.ajwse.20160204.11 Variation in the Quality of Harvested Rainwater from Source to Storage in a Water-Stressed Community in Ghana Godfred Owusu-Boateng 1 , Mark Kwabena Gadogbe 2 1 Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana 2 Department of Material Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana Email address: godfredowusuboateng@yahoo.com (G. Owusu-Boateng), mekyxineg@yahoo.com (M. K. Gadodge) To cite this article: Godfred Owusu-Boateng, Mark Kwabena Gadogbe. Variation in the Quality of Harvested Rainwater from Source to Storage in a Water- Stressed Community in Ghana. American Journal of Water Science and Engineering. Vol. 2, No. 4, 2016, pp. 20-28. doi: 10.11648/j.ajwse.20160204.11 Received: September 13, 2016; Accepted: November 5, 2016; Published: December 5, 2016 Abstract: The quality of rainwater which is the main source of domestic water in Dzodze, a community in the Volta Region of Ghana was unknown. Therefore the possible utilization of contaminated domestic water and occurrence of health hazards could not be underestimated due to prevailing poor hygiene and great lack of standard maintenance and treatment systems in community. In this study, we assessed the quality of rainwater in the Dzodze Community and how it varies along the domestic rainwater harvesting (DRWH) chain from free-fall to storage. Rain samples were collected at three points along the DRWH chain of two DRWH systems: from free-fall, roof-catchment and storage tank and two systems described as poorly-maintained and well-maintained systems. Samples were analyzed for physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters and results compared with WHO and Ghana Standards Board (GSB) guideline values. The harvested rainwater was found to be of good physico-chemical quality but not bacteriological, calling for treatment before utilization. Also, irrespective of the type of DRWH system (poorly-maintained or well-maintained), there was substantial change in rainwater quality upon interaction with roof-catchment with an increase noticed in all parameters. Keywords: Rainwater Harvesting, Physico-Chemical Variables, Systems, Standards 1. Introduction Safe drinking water is essential for human survival yet water scarcity remains a serious problem for both urban and rural communities throughout the world partly due to population growth, frequent droughts and the changing climate. The United Nations’ Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 7 has as its target to halve by 2015 the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water and sanitation. Although about 1.6 billion people have gained access to safe drinking water through various technologies since its implementation [1], many people worldwide, especially in developing countries are still in dire need of safe and sustainable drinking water. Rooftop rainwater harvesting, a technology used to supply water for domestic purposes in developing countries, involves collection of rainwater from the top of building roof via a guttering system and storage in a cistern [2]. At the 2006 Climate Change Convention in Nairobi, Rainwater Harvesting (RWH) was recognized as a viable option to addressing current water needs and providing security against future droughts in many African countries. In Ghana, in spite of the general water-scarcity, the situation is very acute in many communities and in an attempt to go round the problem RWH has been recognized as an appropriate technology for exploitation of water to meet their water requirements. This, notwithstanding, the option of RWH technology has not received adequate support from government of these water- scarce countries. For instance the Ghana National Water Policy only focuses on enactment of legislation for provision of incentives for RWH systems and their incorporation and enforcement in all new building designs [3]. In this no consideration has been given to already existing settlements making the strategy inadequate. This observation support that made by [4] that public interest in permanent Domestic Rainwater Harvesting (DRWH) and its sustainability as a