F12
Issued 1/5/1999

91 Hammond Avenue, PO Box 456
Wagga Wagga NSW 2650
Phone 02 6922 0608 Fax: 02 6921 2241
Email: admin@rwcc.com.au

"Why can't we collect water from our roof into a tank?"

Firstly, to safeguard the public water supply quality, the tank cannot be connected to the same pipework as the town water AND a check valve must be installed in the town supply service connection. These practical considerations usually don't present major difficulty, particularly if incorporated at the time of building. All work must of course be by a licensed plumber

Secondly, the quality of water, if used for drinking or food preparation is not assured, as tanks are susceptible to contamination from birds and other animals, and stored water can provide a breeding ground for microbiological contaminants.

Thirdly, the cost of purchasing, installing and maintaining a tank over its life cycle usually exceeds the cost of purchasing the equivalent quantity of water from Riverina Water County Council. Tanks also have a habit of running dry during periods of low rainfall.

Having said all that there are a number of advantages in having a tank to collect your water on site, and in particular:

• Water is collected where it falls, and run off which might add to the rising water table problem is reduced.
  
• Operating costs (once the installation has been paid for) are low.
• Rainfall is usually soft and low in mineral content, making it excellent for washing and hot water systems.

So if you're keen to collect your own water, it can be done providing the necessary precautions and requirements are observed, and your tank could even make a positive contribution to the environment. Yet even if you could effectively use every drop of rain that falls on your roof, you would have less than a quarter of the water consumption of a typical household for the year.