Top Factors To Consider When You Need A Rainwater Tank For Your Home    

Rainwater harvesting has become a necessity in today’s times as water scarcity affects many Australian cities. Rainwater is a primary source of freshwater and is available for free. Hence, it is important to harvest and store rainwater. 

You can install a rainwater tank in your home, collect water from the roof, and transport it to the tank. Here are the top factors to consider before choosing the right one.

Tank Size

Rainwater tanks come in varied dimensions and capacities. You can look at the various tank sizes and designs available by checking out websites such as pioneerwatertanks.com.au/rainwater-tanks-for-your-home/. The tank capacity ranges from 2600 gallons to 109,999 gallons.

Before you choose a tank size, consider your daily water requirements and the parchment area available to collect rainwater. You also need to consider the amount of rainfall your area receives annually.

The rainfall season lasts for 2-3 months in Australia. According to the latest data, most areas in Australia receive up to 500mm rainfall annually. An average roof size of around 100 square metres can potentially harvest up to 50000 litres of water.

Tank Should Be Appropriate for Your Home

When installing a rainwater tank, you need to consider local rules and regulations for rainwater harvesting.  Australia has passed laws related to rainwater harvesting, and the rainwater tank installations should comply with Building Code of Australia rules and NHMRC requisites.

Trusted tank manufacturers are aware of these regulations and offer tanks in sizes that are compliant with them. Getting these tanks installed by professionals also helps ensure you meet all legal compliance requirements.

Tank Location

The tank's location is a crucial element in its installation. Most people think the roof can be ideal for installing a rainwater tank, but that is not true.

According to experts, rainwater tanks are large, and 1000 litres of water weighs around one tonne. Your roof will not be able to bear a load of large water tanks for a long time.

Also, the rainwater installation rules and regulations require guttering just below the tank, which is not possible when you install it on the roof. Therefore, the best location to install rainwater tanks is underground.

This reduces the effort needed to collect rainwater in it, as you just let gravity do all the work from the minute the raindrops hit your roof.

When selecting a location to install a tank, you also need to consider the dimensions of the rainwater tank. Some of the standard rainwater tank dimensions are:

• A rainwater tank with a diameter of 2.67m and a height of 2.18m can store up to 12,200 litres of water.
• A rainwater tank with a diameter of 5.35m and a height of 2.18m can store up to 48,963 litres of water.
• A rainwater tank with a diameter of 10.70m and a height of 2.18m can store up to 195,851litres of water.

Filter Unit and Tank Levels

The downstream drainage is a crucial element in rainwater tank installation. The tank's rainwater level and the filter unit's position will impact the downstream drainage system.

Consider Potential Demand

Rainwater harvesting is precisely planned to have a reliable source of potable water during a drought. The rainwater collected over 2-3 months cannot be sufficient for all needs. 

However, rainwater will reduce use and dependence on municipal water. When selecting a rainwater tank, you need to determine the potential occupancy of the building throughout the year.