Are you benefiting from rainharvesting?
Water supply for a home on the Central Coast
What are your options when you do not have access to mains water (town supply)?
There is only one - and that is to buy a rainwater tank.
Water tanks can easily be added to your home - either as your entire supply of water or to supplement your mains water supply and save on your water bill.
In this case - this property in Holgate on the Central Coast of New South Wales does not have access to mains water, so they ordered a 20,000-litre steel water tank to supply their home.
No access water tank on the Central Coast
The problem
We were approached by our client in Avoca, Central Coast.
They were required by the council to produce a 20,000-litre water tank, but their site was not ideal for the water tank placement.
The water tank needed to be close enough to the dam so that the pump could pull water from it for fire-fighting while close enough to the house to be effective.
The only appropriate location for the water tank was underneath the house. We were excited about the opportunity to carry out this water tank installation.
Steel water tanks in Newcastle
We're taking a quick look back at a project we assisted with in Newcastle, New South Wales.
Requirements:
20 x 3500 Litre Aquaplate Steel slimline water tanks
20 x pre-installed submersible pump systems
What is La Niña and how does it impact Australia?
How is it caused?
La Niña occurs when equatorial trade winds become stronger, changing ocean surface currents and drawing cooler deep water up from below. This results in a cooling of the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. The enhanced trade winds also help to pile up warm surface waters in the western Pacific and north of Australia.
10 Reasons for Water Filtration
Gardening Tips!
Gardening this winter may the last thing on your mind, but growing your own vegetables and herbs is a great way to save money. Read along to find out what vegetables will grow best in your garden this winter.
HERBS – plant chamomile, comfrey, coriander, dill, feverfew, garlic bulbs, lavender, lemon balm, marjoram, mint, oregano, parsley, sage and thyme.
VEGETABLES - plant beans (dwarf and climbing), beetroot, broccoli, cabbage, capsicum, carrot, cauliflower, celery, chicory, chilli, Chinese cabbage, cucumber, eggplant, endive, kohlrabi, leek, lettuce, okra, parsnip, potato (tubers), radish, rhubarb (crowns), shallots, silverbeet, spring onion, sweet corn, sweet potato and zucchini.
FRUIT – lemons, mandarin, oranges
Winter gardening tips -
Remove heavy layers of autumn leaves that can stop the rain getting to the soil. Use these excess leaves to make nutrient-rich compost.
Winter’s the time to prune your existing fruit trees or buy new ones to put in the ground. It’s also a great time for planting vegetables such as brussels sprouts, cauliflower, lettuce.
One advantage of growing in Winter is that less watering is needed due to lower evaporation rate. You may only need to water your plants during longer dry spells. Feed your plants with organic matter such as manure, fish or seaweed solution every few weeks to encourage rapid growth and maximise your crop.
General gardening tips –
If your soil has been dry for an extended period it can become water-repellent, even after heavy rains. Look for water pooling on the surface, which can be fixed with a good soil wetting agent.
Make sure you always have plenty of compost. Just save your food waste - especially eggshells, coffee grinds, and apple cores, your veggies will love it!
Make organic choices with your soil, fertilizing, pest control, and even seed selection. Plants that are fertilized or treated with chemicals can become weak and prone to disease.
For greater growing success, "start" your seedlings inside! An easy way to do this is by using old toilet paper rolls.
Make sure that you have paths that allow you to access your plants to weed and harvest.
Check out our range of garden beds here. We also offer a range of Holman garden accessories.
5 great uses for your water tank
Water is the most precious resource on this planet, saving thousands of litres at a time is quite the accomplishment.