**Please note Versatile Tanks DO NOT repair water tanks**
With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to disrupt life across the entire globe, it seems so long ago that only last year in January, Victoria, ACT and New South Wales were ravaged by devastating bushfires. Once the bushfires were eventually extinguished, over 11 million hectares of parks, forest and bushland throughout Australia had burned.
For those of us living in the city, we don’t often contemplate the source of our water. However, for those living in rural areas, securing and conserving water is always at the front of their mind. Whether it is for storing water to help combat fires or for harvesting rainwater, installing a concrete square water tank in regional and rural Australia is essential for a variety of reasons.
What is rainwater harvesting?
As the essence of every home across rural Australia, rainwater harvesting is the practice of collecting and storing every drop of rainwater. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, harvested rainwater accounts for the third-largest source of water in Australia. It is responsible for supplying 63% (109 billion litres) of water to rural homes living outside urban areas.
Water that falls onto sheds, roofs and other surface areas is collected and then stored in a water tank. Rainwater is suitable for domestic use due to it being much cleaner than water harvested from other water sources such as waterways, bores and dams.
For Australians living in rural areas, water security is crucial. Harvesting rainwater typically involves using a system consisting of roof catchments, diverters, filters, gutters and downpipes that funnel the rainwater into a round or square water tank. A distribution system consisting of pipes and pumps then transport the rainwater to where it needs to be used.
What are the benefits?
Apart from water security, installing a water tank provides a range of benefits such as:
- Pay less for water
Phillip Davies, the executive chief for Infrastructure Australia, has warned that a typical water bill could exceed $2500 each year by 2040 due to climate change and population growth. Combined with rising rent, gas and electricity bills, using harvested water from a water tank is a much cheaper option than buying it from your local water provider.
- Help prevent flooding
It’s not just rural areas that benefit from water tanks. Urban Victorian homes are connected to a complex water network – but it isn’t perfect. Low-lying areas near rivers and creeks such as South Melbourne and Richmond often flood during heavy rainfall, causing large amounts of damage to businesses and homes. By catching and storing more water during storms, it can help to reduce flood damage and pressure on public infrastructure.
- Less need for reservoirs
By having more water tanks installed and taking pressure off our water system, it creates less need for expansive water reservoirs and processing centres. This means that the land can instead be used for other industrial purposes and more money can be redirected into funding community programs, schools and hospitals.
Whether you need to install a concrete square water tank for harvesting rainwater, storing stormwater, to use as an underground wine cellar, storage shed or more, contact our experienced team at Versatile Tanks to find out how we can assist your needs.
Browse through our website to learn more information or call us on 1300 783 344 to get started today.