---

Many schools in water-scarce developing countries have insufficient and unreliable water supplies. This is being exacerbated by climate change and aging and poorly maintained water infrastructure. A lack of clean water increases the risks of diarrheal disease and concerns about health can result in school closures, affecting education outcomes as valuable teaching and learning time is lost.

In these situations, rainwater harvesting systems can provide an alternative clean water supply that enables schools to continue to operate safely. However, there is limited research and guidance on school rainwater harvesting systems. In addition, there are also misconceptions about rainwater harvesting. These include that rainwater harvesting systems cannot provide sufficient water to meet needs, water produced is dirty and systems are unaffordable.

In a new chapter I address this context by showing how rainwater harvesting can provide sufficient, and affordable water supplies to schools in water-scarce areas. It may be of interest to school governing bodies, teachers, design professionals and government officials who want to develop rainwater harvesting systems in schools.

The chapter is in Rainwater Harvesting for the 21st Century edited by Ilan Adler, Kemi Adeyeye, Aisha Bello-Dambatta, Berill Takacs and can be accessed here: https://www.routledge.com/Rainwater-Harvesting-for-the-21st-Century/Adler-Adeyeye-Bello-Dambatta-Takacs/p/book/9781032638089