Water Tanks

Water tanks have long been a part of the Australian outback culture, an absolute necessity in country areas. The old corrugated iron tank on a wooden stand is an icon of rural living. They have however been rare in urban settings until recently. One reason is the physical space that a round tank takes up in your yard, and the difficulty of getting such a large object past the house and into the back yard.

With the introduction of plastic moulded tanks a larger range of shapes has become practical, meaning you can put a slim line water tank in narrow, rarely used places such as down the side of your house and still store large amounts of water. We stock a range of tanks in different capacities and we can find one to suit almost any space around your home. Only a small part of our range of tanks and accessories is on the website, please enquire with us directly for more products

Access to clean, fresh water is fundamental to life and has long been taken for granted by city dwellers but is increasingly impacting on our awareness with the scarcity that has been caused by the current drought. Many lawns and gardens are suffering from lack of water and greywater can only help some of the way. For sensitive native plants and vegetable gardens greywater is not recommended. Installing a rainwater tank is the best option.

 
Your water use also impacts on the environment in other ways. The amount of energy required to treat and transport water to your home or business is considerable, while every drop of water we use has been taken from its natural place in the environment, in rivers and lakes that also need water to live.

Our rapidly growing population demands more water and we have already reached the limits of what we can sustainably supply from our current dams and reservoirs. Other measures such as desalination and piping water from further away will solve the problem in the short term, but at a cost of huge amounts of energy.

A lot of water is needlessly wasted in our society, either through using more than necessary or through using drinking quality water where rain, recycled or grey water would be suitable, flushing toilets for example. It is everyone’s responsibility to make sure that we reduce the amount of water we use and reuse water wherever possible, while also making sure that we don’t adversely impact on our health or quality of life.

There are several options available, depending on how much roof area you have available, the size of your garden, access to downpipes and how much of your household use you want to connect to rainwater. It is possible to use rainwater for lawns and gardens, swimming pools and ponds, for toilet flushing and laundry and even for showering and drinking water.

Install just a tank.
This allows you to run a hose to the garden with the water fed by gravity. However the pressure will not be sufficient to run a sprinkler or most types of hose nozzles. This kind of system costs around $1,000 (including installation) and would be eligible for a $150 government rebate.

Install a tank and pressure pump.
This allows you to hose the garden with any standard nozzle, to use sprinklers, to flush a toilet and to supply stormwater to your washing machine. You would get much better use of the water available in winter as you would be using water every day.

The cost would be from around $1,600 (including installation) and a rebate of $300 would be applicable. However this system has a significant disadvantage if you use it for toilet flushing and laundry. If the tank runs out you can’t flush the toilet. You have to top it up with the hose, (not fun at night in winter). Because of this these systems are generally only used for the garden.

Install a tank, pressure pump and automatic diverter system.

This is the system that is recommended for toilet flushing, laundry, and garden use. It includes an automatic valve which senses when your water tank is empty and switches the supply back to the water mains. When your tank water level rises with the next rain you automatically go back to your tank supply.

The pump, diverter valve, controller and pump cover are available in a package called the Davey RainBank . This simplifies plumbing and installation of these components. These systems typically cost around $2,500 (including installation) minus the government rebate of $300.

Installation

Installation of the tank and associated components needs to be done by a qualified plumber to qualify for the government rebate. Plumbers typically cost around $600 a day plus parts. Installation can take between half and one day depending on access issues and complexity.

You should always cover and thoroughly screen tanks to exclude mosquitoes, birds and animals.

The tank overflow should divert to the stormwater system. If it is raining enough to overflow the tank then your garden is probably already saturated and will not appreciate the extra water from the tank.

Desludge your tank once a year with a tap installed at its base.

If rainwater and mains supply are both used then mains water must be isolated from the rainwater system by a valve mechanism or tap. Exact specifications vary across Australia. Contact your local council or state health department for advice.
Sunlight will encourage algal growth in a tank. Make sure that there are no openings for light and if you are using a semi-transparent tank (e.g. the white plastic containers often sold second hand online) you should keep it out of direct sunlight or paint it.

Regular maintenance is very important to ensure that your rainwater will be safe for use around the home, particularly if you are using it for drinking or showering. If you are using rainwater for drinking we highly recommend you use a water filter. The main contamination risks come from animals or birds leaving droppings on the roof and gutters or accidently entering the tank and becoming trapped.In urban areas there is also a risk of contamination from airborne pollutants.

To minimise these risks you should:

• Check your roofs and gutters for vegetation and debris on at least a weekly basis.
• Keep the roof clear of overhanging vegetation.
• Check and maintain screens around the tank.
• Drain and clean your tank every few years to remove sediment.
• Install a first flush diverter. This device fits onto your tank inlet and prevents the initial flow of contaminant-laden water from the roof entering the tank when it rains.
• If you are using rainwater for drinking, you should use a good quality water filter.

Aussie Bladda Tank

With water restrictions becoming a prevalent aspect of everyday life, all Australians need to find ways to save water. The Aussie Bladda Tank is a flexible water tank designed to fit the sub-floor area of your home or decking, allowing you to store large amounts of precious rainwater, without taking up valuable space in the backyard.

Aquarius Watermaster Slimline Tanks

Aquarius Watermaster Slimline tanks are ideal for tight areas, giving you enough water storage for practical usage without wasting your valuable yard space.

They are made of highest quality, UV-stable, Food-Grade Polyethylene.

Aquarius 1200 Litres
Width: 515mm
Length: 1750mm
Height: 1600mm
Aquarius 2000 Litres
Width: 615mm
Length: 2050mm
Height: 2020mm
Aquarius 3000 Litres
Width: 615mm
Length: 2970mm
Height: 2070mm