Rainwater tanks are a simple way to cut down the water bill of your property and are an efficient way to conserve your water usage. But it's not as simple to just buy one and place it somewhere on your property. You need to consider the space of the rainwater tank pump as well as other council considerations.
Today we’ll be covering everything you need to consider before deciding on where exactly to put your rainwater tank.
Council Regulations
Checking the requirements of the property’s council should always be the first step to consider when buying a rainwater tank. Most councils will have rules that entail a 1 metre distance from property lines which will need to be met to install the tank.
Other considerations include the view from the street, which some councils are stricter with than others. Some councils also have a rainwater tank size requirement. If you're fitting a smaller tank some councils may require you to increase the size for stormwater detention or emergency services (this is more likely in bushfire prone areas).
Pipework and Drainage Needs
Your tank will need to be closer enough to your downpipes so that it can efficiently collect water. If you can’t place your tank near these downpipes and don’t want to use above ground pipes, called dry systems, you can always opt to run these pipes underground. This is known as a wet system; it can allow your tank to collect water from a collection of downpipes for a higher amount of collected water.
Your tank will also need an overflow pipe which needs to be fed to the stormwater drain so that in the case that your tank overflows it won’t flood your property.
Plumbing and Water Pressure
Some plumbing requirements will require you to locate the tank closer to your home. This will be required if you're using the tank for the toilet, laundry or taps, as it makes more sense to have the tank within proximity of these areas.
If your property is on a sloped or high grounded space, it's possible that you could benefit from a gravity fed system. This will mean that instead of a pump to push your water around you can rely entirely on gravity. If your tank is in a sloped space or one that isn’t entirely flat, it means you may not need a very powerful pump. The pump pressure required will also depend on the location and environment of your property.
Location Space and Tank Size
The selection and location of tanks available to you may also be limited by the space available and other restrictions. Height restrictions are one large issue that can cause a problem. If your tank is too high for an overpass some installers may allow you to partially bury the tank in the ground so that it can fit. It’s always important to make sure that your tank can fit in the desired space. This is also important if you live in a new housing community, as these homes are usually built on smaller blocks therefore having more restrictions to their location. A lot of tank manufacturers have a range of different sized tanks that will fit within these specific space requirements.