Water scarcity is an increasingly severe problem worldwide due to factors such excessive consumption of raw water, climate change, water pollution and unsustainable water resource consumption. The potential benefits that accrue from rainwater harvesting are a decrease in demand for potable water from centralized water sources, reduction in runoff into to urban rainwater system and a reduced risk of overflow storm events. Infiltration practices belong to one of the best management practises that are able to effectively reduce the overloading sewage systems in case of rainwater drainage. Rainwater should be regarded as alternative, sustainable strategies and as rehabilitation of rural and urban settlements in aspect of environmental, economic and social criteria and it is the topic of presented paper. (C) 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.