Many Sydneysiders rely on rainwater collected from rooftops and stored in tanks for drinking, cleaning, and a variety of other purposes. This is completely safe, but requires a well installed and maintained water collection and storage system.

Residential rainwater tanks normally range from 660 litres to 20,000 litres. Smaller tanks are perfect for small homes or granny flats with basic toilet flushing or gardening.

If you’re looking to use rainwater for your washing machine, you would need a tank with a 2,000 litres capacity, this would be closer to the 3,000-5,000 litre range for bigger homes.

If you want to use rainwater as a supply for an entire home with potable water and consistent usage, a tank with a 5,000 litre capacity would be necessary at a minimum.

Make sure to check with your local council for any specific regulations which outline minimum tank capacities or guidelines, as they vary depending which council you are in within Sydney.

Heavy elements dissolved in rainfall or washed off the roof settle at the bottom of the tank, forming a thick layer of sludge over time.

Rainwater is typically devoid of chemicals. However, pollutants in the air in big urban and industrial areas may contribute to pollution as well.

The majority of microorganisms are not harmful to humans. However, certain organisms can multiply rapidly in a water tank, causing stomach problems, diarrhea, and other symptoms that can be highly dangerous for the very young and elderly

Roof catchments should be kept free of debris and leaves. Tree and shrub branches should be pruned and kept under control. Cover the intake and point the down pipe to one side so that the first good rain rinses off the roof and gutters before draining into your tanks. To prevent birds, animals, and insects from obtaining access to the water, the tank’s intake and overflow should be screened with mesh. The amount of organic matter that enters the rainwater tank through the intake will be reduced if the leaf trap is adequately maintained. Light should not be allowed to penetrate the water in the tank, since this will foster the growth of bacteria. A tightly sealed manhole should be provided in the cover to provide access to the tank for cleaning and inspection.

If you plan to consume the water, use only “food grade” plastic pipe and fittings, as some pipes contain tiny quantities of lead. Make sure the roof doesn’t have any lead-based paint or flashings, as this could disintegrate into the drinking water tank.

Many rainwater harvesting systems rely on carbon filters as well to remove all unhealthy impurities and ensure the water is potable. This common water purification system has proven effective for decades; however, it is not equally effective in all systems.

Carbon filters have been used to treat the odor and taste problems in water for a long time. And today, they are used in millions of residential and commercial-grade systems. Carbon filters has been proven to be an excellent method of producing better tasting water as well as removing harmful water contaminants.

To maintain a safe supply of water, proper maintenance of the tank, catchment system, roof, gutters, and inlet is required. This should be done prior to autumn or the rainy season.Every three to four months, clean the gutters and tank inlets, and remove the sludge every two to three years.

Gutter cleaning can be DIY as it is not actually too difficult to tackle. But it should not be attempted alone; enlist the assistance of another person to hold the ladder, pass any tools, and so on. If you can’t DIY this, contact a professional gutter cleaner from Roofing Surgeon.

While the state’s Health Department and local councils advise against drinking rainwater due to possible impurities, it can be utilized for other reasons such as flushing toilets, washing clothing, watering gardens, washing cars, etc. Existing water supplies may struggle to meet the demands of Sydney’s growing population, especially if drought conditions return. Installing a water tank will help you live more sustainably and save money by reducing your domestic water usage.

Sydney floods under heavy rains. Installing a rainwater tank will assist channel storm water, decrease minor local flooding, and save water. Some financial organizations offer Green Loans for products like rainwater tanks.

Many people don’t know about the true perks of having a rainwater tank at home. Check out these lists of benefits of having a rainwater tanks at home:

Once a tank is installed, it needs to be maintained on a regular basis to have sustained, healthy, potable rainwater. There is a chance of contamination by animals, leaves sediment and other nasties when bring collected from your roofs and gutters. But no need to worry, Sewer Surgeon can complete all your household maintenance, including water pipes, gutter cleaning, blocked stormwater pipes, rainwater pumps.

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