How to Ensure That Your New Water Tank System Covers All Eventualities

Australia is one of the driest countries on earth, yet has a growing (and thirsty) population. It's no surprise that water is a treasured commodity and everything must be done to ensure that it is not wasted. If you are in the process of building a new home, you need to know all your figures when it comes to water needs and what you need to do in order to conserve it as much as possible. You may well be thinking about fitting a slimline water tank, but want to make sure that you cover all eventualities. What do you need to bear in mind?

Preparing for the Rainy Day

Unlike the British climate, where rainfall is rather steady and miserable throughout the year, the weather in Australia is not as predictable. Often, the heavens can open and a considerable amount of the monthly rainfall total can be delivered in the space of a day. It's important to take measures to slow down that water and not let it overwhelm the system or go to waste.

Detain or Retain?

To get the balance right here you will indeed a combination tank system, for detention and retention. Essentially, the first part of the equation will slow down the water once it arrives on your rooftop, so that it is not flushed into the storm drain system too quickly. Not only can this be wasteful from a water usage perspective, but it can sometimes overwhelm the drainage system and cause issues in the community. Therefore, the detention tank will hold this stormwater and allow it to seep out slowly through a special outlet into the stormwater drain, while the retention tank underneath it will keep water for your household use.

Many people choose to have a tank that keeps some water for use in irrigation or to flush toilets, while the other is meant to provide relief to the storm drain system.

How to Know What's Right for You

To enable you to choose the right type of tank system for your new property you need to be able to correctly estimate the drain system capacity in the neighbourhood, measure the size of your roof (as a collection point) and determine your household needs. To make sure that you come up with the right figures, have a word with the company that supplies your tank so that you get it right from the beginning.