Groundwater Recharge Concrete Patent India

At a time when the delayed monsoon has made everyone realise the importance of water, City based innovators Rajesh Rathod and Chakshudhnya Rathod has bagged an Indian patent for developing a High-Performance Pervious Concrete System for Groundwater Recharge to allow rainwater and stormwater to pass through the concrete surface and infiltrate into the ground, thereby enhancing groundwater recharge while maintaining the structural performance of the concrete.

“It has been certified that a patent has been granted to the patentee for an invention entitled A Non-Hazardous Premix solution for Pervious concrete for the term of 20 years,” said The Patent Certificate issued to Surface Coating Technologist Rajesh Rathod and Environment Science graduate Chaksudnya Rathod by the The Patent Office of government of India.

“The patented chemical improves the strength, durability, permeability, and long-term performance of concrete, making it suitable for sustainable water management applications,” said Rajesh Rathod.

He said the chemical has been tested by him to check water logging and waste of rain water going in drains at the city based S P College premises and in the premises of a heritage temple in Wai in Satara district.

The benefit of the product is that it enhances groundwater recharge by allowing rainwater to percolate into the soil, reduces surface runoff and waterlogging during heavy rainfall, helps replenish depleted groundwater levels, is eco-friendly and non-hazardous to the environment.

It also improves the strength and durability of concrete, reduces burden on stormwater drainage systems, supports sustainable urban development and water conservation while is cost effective compared to many imported alternatives, he said.

This can be used in Parking areas, footpaths and walkways, residential townships, educational campuses, industrial premises, parks, gardens, public open spaces, railway stations, bus terminus as well as rainwater harvesting and groundwater recharge products said Rathod adding, “It can be used at any location where rainwater is lost as runoff.”

He said, “My intention behind this product is for transforming every rainfall event into an opportunity for groundwater recharge through sustainable and eco-friendly infrastructure.”

If brought in use the product will help combat declining groundwater, conserve rainwater, reduce urban flooding and waterlogging, reduce and help in improving water security for the future generations, says Rathod.

He admits products with the same purpose are manufactured abroad and imported in the country but the product invented by him is developed in the country and more cost effective than the one imported. Moreover, the product is developed considering Indian climatic and field conditions focusing on both concrete performance and groundwater recharge unlike the foreign product which mainly focuses on concrete performance.

Nitin Rakh, Estate Officer of S P College, said that the product made by Rathod was tried in the college campus to resolve the water logging issue and it has helped in providing relief from water logging and simultaneously recharge the borewell from where the water is lifted for purposes other than drinking. “The S P College premises is alongside busy Tilak road which has no storm drain facility. Thus, the rainwater from the road flows inside the college campus and was leading to water logging but now the rainwater has been diverted to a pit and a small tank before recharging the borewell, Thus, there was no water logging last year,” he said.

Ashwini Risbud, who along with other members of paternal `Raste’ family, said,”I just got to know that the product made by Rathod was first tried in the premises of a temple owned by family in Wai has been issued patent. “We are so happy for him. His product is really good and helped the temple premises tremendously and improved health of trees due to ground water availability.”

“The product was used as an experiment in one of the many temple built and owned by the Raste family. We want the use of product in the premises of all temples where rainwater harvesting could be done,” she said.