There are many good reasons to make your home more environmentally friendly. Generally, taking steps to improve the eco-friendliness of your home will save you money in the long run, allowing you to reduce your consumption and resource usage. Installing a rainwater collection tank to catch the rain falling off your roof is one way to do such that. With warmer summers, less rainfall, and higher populations, having enough clean water is becoming more of a pressing issue.
The government is starting to restrict water usage in high priority areas. The Water Corporation is also launching a campaign alongside swimming pool builders to help home-owners find ways to reduce their water consumption by 60 litres a day per person. It is possible to use less water without having to alter the way you live, and a rainwater tank is one great way to do just that.
The cost to install a rainwater collection system is fairly inexpensive, and for homeowners who live in an area with water restrictions, having a rainwater tank can make the restrictions much more bearable.
Any home with a roof and gutter can take advantage of a rainwater system, even if you don’t live in an area with a particularly high rainfall. The amount of water you can collect will depend on the size of your roof as well as the amount of rainfall. A roof of 100m2 could get up to 1,000 litres of water a day when there is a steady light rain.
Rainwater isn’t appropriate for all of your home’s water needs; however it can still be used in many ways. While you probably wouldn’t want to drink or cook with the collected water, there is no reason why you couldn’t use it to flush the toilets, do the laundry, or water the garden. Flushing the toilet and doing laundry each account for close to 15% of a home’s water consumption. Using a rainwater tank to provide water for just these two tasks can cut down your water consumption by close to a third.
It is extremely easy to use the collected rainwater for gardening by adding a simple hose to the collection tank. However, home-owners could also have the tank connected to their plumbing systems in order to use the water for laundry or other household uses. You can even install an automatic switch system that will use the rainwater when it is available or the conventional plumbing when the water supply is low.
A rainwater tank is relatively easy to implement, however it is still a large project that requires careful planning. The most efficient rainwater collection tanks store many litres of water, which means it will take up quite a bit of space in the yard. When choosing a tank it is best to pick a size that is well suited to your water needs and available space.
Whether your motivation for installing a rainwater tank is economic or environmental, there is no time better than the present to do so. Reducing your water consumption will save you money, and help the environment, so it is truly a good combination.
The beauty of installing a rainwater tank is that water restrictions will no longer place a burden on you and your family, you will no longer have to worry about having enough water for garden landscaping or wash your car. Finally, when you go to sell your home, a good rainwater system will be a valuable asset to any eco-minded buyer.
