Rainwater Harvesting: The Coolest Household Trend!

Here’s something to think about: if you had to go without something for a day or two, what’s the one thing you really couldn’t live without? In a crisis, you could live on what’s in your pantry for a day or two (or longer – after all, Weetbix is the breakfast that built Australia!) A day without electricity wouldn’t be the end of the world… but how about no access to water? No baths or showers, and not even water to drink? By day one, you’d be seriously thirsty; by day two, you’d be in grave danger.

Fortunately, here in Australia, most of us have got ample access to mains water, but some communities are already feeling the pinch of the freshwater crisis, and even having to truck bottled water in. (Which means burning fossil fuels, and extra plastics… not great from a sustainability perspective!) That’s why reducing our reliance on mains water is an environmentally responsible choice; fortunately, it also makes great financial sense, which is why more and more homes are getting water tanks installed and harnessing the benefit of the fresh, nourishing abundance of Mother Nature in the form of fresh, free rainwater. Rain is a life-giving resource, and it’s time we used it better; by getting a water tank for your home, you can be part of it.

That’s right, water tanks aren’t just for country towns anymore; they’re a more and more common sight in Aussie backyards, and in fact, they’re found in about half of the backyards in some capital cities (Brisbane and Adelaide)! Rainwater tanks provide you with a backup supply of water, which is particularly important during times of drought, but also a great way to overcome water restrictions and have a gorgeously green garden even in the heat of summer. They also have an important role to play in reducing erosion and flooding, because, during heavy rainfall (storms, etc), it’s much better to collect run-off from your roof into a tank than have it get into your gutters and flood your neighborhood.

It’s also not a very expensive upfront investment when you consider that you can reduce your mains water consumption by half or even more. For example, a slimline water tank from Brisbane-based water tank supplier Select Water Tanks varies from $1616 (for a 1,583-litre capacity water tank) upwards, and it’s made of stainless steel with a 30-year non-corrosion warranty; so you can be enjoying the benefits to your pocket and the planet for many decades to come.

The next question you may be wondering is, how big should my tank be? A good way of gauging this is to look at your past water bills; your water tank should ideally contain enough water to last you and your family for a month. If you’re only using your tank water for outside usages, you can usually cut capacity to about half.

Want to know more? Keep an eye on our blog for more exciting household, garden, and sustainability projects you’ll love!

Read more: 7 Tips To Achieve Good Water Quality