Due to the scarcity of water, people are trying to save as much water as possible. In every Kerala flat. an attempt is being made to install the rainwater harvesting system. Besides Kerala, rain water harvesting is being emphasized in many other states. There are a number of traditional methods that are being used suited to those areas.
In the Northeastern areas a system of tapping of stream and spring water using bamboo pipes to irrigate plantations is used extensively. This method is 200 years old and is widely known as the bamboo drip irrigation system. It is used to irrigate betel leaf or black pepper crops. The perennial springs on the hilltops are diverted using bamboo pipes to the lower reaches by gravity. The water is diverted and conveyed to the plot site through channel sections also made of bamboo. The branches are made and laid out with different forms of bamboo pipes where the water is distributed without leakage. The flow of water into the lateral pipes is controlled by manipulating the intake pipe positions. At the last stage of water application reduced channel sections and diversion units are used. Bamboos of different diameters are used to lay the channels. While fabricating the system one third of the outer casing in length and internodes of the bamboo pieces are removed. The bamboo channel is then smoothened. Small pipes and channels of varying sizes used for diversion and distribution of water from the main channel are the other components. From the point of water diversion to the application point about four to five stages of distribution are involved.