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. When combined with a pump, filtration system (optional) and the appropriate pre-capture filtration systems - rainwater tanks can give you more than enough water to keep your home well prepared.
Should I go with a steel water tank or a poly water tank in this situation?
It can depend on what you are required to use by your council. If you're in a BAL-rated area, you need to consider whether your water tank can stand up to the heat of a bushfire - at least long enough that the water can be utilised to protect your home. Plastic tanks will melt far sooner than a steel tank - which may prove the difference in an emergency.
Your DA requirements will dictate whether you need to have a steel tank or not - but it's always our recommendation you go with a steel tank.
What else should I consider if my water tank is my only supply of water?
There's plenty to consider but here are the main points:
- Keep your rainwater capture clean
- Filtration
- Scheduled tank cleaning
Keep your rainwater capture clean
This refers to not only the accessories that you can add to your rainwater system - it's also about keeping up regular maintenance on the associated parts of your system. Rainwater catchment includes any stage before the water making it to your water tank.
Capture includes your roof, gutters and pipework and ensuring that they are free from any contaminants. For example, bird droppings, deceased animals, a build-up of leaves and debris and just general grime and dirt build up over time. Your rainwater will pass through all of this and deliver into your water tank.
Prevention is key to keeping your water tank clean. A significant initial step is setting a schedule to check over your rainwater catchment and performing regular maintenance. Also, you can purchase any of the following accessories to get the best out of your rainwater catchment.
- First flush unit
- Leaf eater
- Inlet strainer
For more information: check out this collection of products which explain what each accessory can do for your water tank.
Filtration
We sell Puretec filtration systems - these are a very high-quality filtration product in a fairly saturated market. You must select a quality filtration system that will ensure that only clean water is delivered to your family. These systems are highly effective in eliminating chlorine, bad taste, odour, bacteria and parasites.
Scheduled tank cleaning
Every 12 months or so - it's worthwhile getting your water tank cleaned.
Tank cleaning can be as extensive or as simple as you'd like. A full tank clean would see your water tank cleaned back to brand new, while a simple clean could see that anything that shouldn't be in your tank is removed (animals and pests can often make their way into your water tank via pipework).
Water tanks form their own internal environment that is beneficial for your water, so full tank cleans are not recommended unless a contaminant has made its way into your tank. In most cases, a good serve of Tank Safe will get your water good as new.
Remember to keep these things in mind when your water tank is your only source of water. These are the best possible ways to keep your rainwater clean and safe.