Water Tanks Melbourne
Your Guide to Choosing a Water Tank
Owning a rainwater tank (or even a few) continues to become more common in Melbourne because of changing weather patterns and a higher demand on town water supplies due to population growth.
Also, a number of councils now require new houses to be plumbed into a rainwater tank for toilets and laundry use. More and more households are installing water tanks of all types, shapes and sizes, so we have put together this guide on buying a water tank in Melbourne.
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Metal Water Tanks MelbourneThese tanks are designed using flat rolled or corrugated metal. This metal may be coated or galvanised.
Usually, metal tanks come with an inner plastic lining, called Aquaplate, that can help increase the longevity of your tank while protecting the quality of the water being stored inside. Pros
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Polyethylene (a.k.a., plastic) Water Tanks MelbourneThese are another popular option as they are more affordable as some of the other materials, and extremely durable. With these tanks, rust is a non-issue, which means they are a great option for anyone who lives near a source of saltwater.
There are other synthetic materials used with this type of water tank, including geotextile and PVC, which are designed for bladder storage. The bladders are useful for storing water below a floor or deck. Even though this material is tough and durable, it isn’t intended to be used outdoors. Pros
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Concrete Water TanksThese are most commonly used for industrial and agricultural purposes but can be used domestically, most often on smaller acreage. They won’t blow away, melt, burn, or rust. You can purchase these ready-made, or you can have them custom created to meet the specifications of your property and needs.
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Fiberglass Water TanksThese water tanks are both chemical and rust resistant and they are uniquely designed to withstand high or low extreme temperatures.
These aren’t the cheapest options available, and they are considered more suitable for installation above-ground. There are other types that are able to be installed below-ground. These tanks aren’t as readily available as poly tanks. |
Tank LocationHow much room you have will be a major determining factor of what type and size tank you should buy. Look at the total footprint area you have. This will determine the largest diameter you can get in a tank. If going between your house and a fence, you may need a slimline tank. If you have limited yard space you may want to burry your tank under your lawn or driveway.
The closer the tank is to your roof gutters, the less plumbing work there is to do. If you are retrofitting tanks to your already built house, you’ll need to be mindful where the gutter falls to as this is where all of the water run-off from your roof will go. The higher the tank outlet is in relation to the point of use, the higher the natural water pressure is. Depending on what you are using the water for, this may mean you don’t need a pump. In hotter locations, try to put the tank in a shady spot behind buildings or next to trees. This is particularly the case for poly tanks that are more affected by UV over time. |
Rainfall & Catchment AreaThe higher and more regular the rainfall, the smaller your tank needs to be as it will rain often enough to keep filling your tank. But if it does rain often, or you have long periods of no rain (typically summer in Melbourne) you’ll need more capacity to see you through.
The smaller your roof area the larger your tank needs to be as it will take more rain to fill your tank and you should capture as much as you can while you can. Each 1mm of rain = 1 Litre (L) of water per square metre of roof area. So, a 200m2 roof will capture 200 litres of water per mm of rain. Melbourne’s average annual rainfall is 530mm, so if you have a 200m2 roof you will catch 530mm x 200 = 106,000 litres of water. But the trouble is that the rainfall is not evenly distributed over the year. See Melbourne’s average annual rainfall here http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_086071.shtml Just as an example, let’s say you worked out that you need 1,000 litres of water a week to keep your garden healthy in summer. You know that it may not rain for most of summer, so you’ll need 3 month (12 weeks) of water storage to see you through. 12 weeks x 1000 litres = 12,000 litres. You need a 12,000 litre water tank (of 2 x 6,000 litre tanks). |
So, in summary, here’s what you must consider when choosing a rainwater tank.
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