Before the recent drought hit Australia, cold water storage tanks were almost a preserve for bush properties where drought was almost a way of life. The great Australian drought has however revealed the important of having a backup supply of water for every home. There are some important advantages of installing a water tank on your property. These include:
- Rain water can be harvested free of charge and then used for watering plants and other domestic use.
- Harvesting rain water reduces the need for the construction of more dams ny the government.
- Rain water is good enough for use in the pool or for washing your car
- Harvesting of rain water relieves storm water systems of pressure
- It is relatively easy to install a water tank and its required systems in your backyard
Before installing a water tank, you have got to think of it wholesomely. In other words, you have to consider the downpipes, the roof, house occupants, guttering and then of course, the tank itself. It is a good idea to go for the largest tank you can afford. The simple logic is, the larger the tank, the more water you can harvest which ultimately means you will have more water at your disposal. The beauty of harvesting rain water is that it falls right where it is needed – at home. There is therefore no need for an extensive piping system to transport it from a government dam to the house.
Installing water tanks if not that extensive and it has the ultimate benefit of cutting down your utility bills by almost 50%. In addition, depending on your location in Australia, you might even qualify for some grants especially if you intend to connect your tank for laundry and toilet needs.
How much Rain Water can be harvested?
As you might have guessed, how much rain water can be harvested depends on two important factors, the size of your roof and the size of the water tank. On average, most homes can comfortably hold a tank that is equal to or greater than 2,000 litres in capacity. A good estimation to use to know how big of a tank to use is to assume that 1 litre of water is collected for every 1mm of rainfall. On average, a decent downpour should be enough to fill up a 2,000 litre tank.
Hiding the Tank
There are several innovative solutions for hiding of the water tanks. For instance, you can use a designer screen to aesthetically make the tank blend in with the plants in your backyard. Another workaround would be to use a water tanks that are shaped like walls which give the impression that they are part of the wall. A more traditional approach would be to bury the tanks underground. Burying tanks also helps in reducing the space taken up by water tanks.
You might have never been a victim of drought but as the saying goes, it is better to be safe than to be sorry. Installing a water tank on your property will not only save you a lot of money but also give you some peace of mind no matter the weather.