According to the State of the Land Report 2016, Australian lot sizes are becoming smaller with time, meaning that homeowners have to get creative about their water storage options. This is why slimline tanks have become very popular for residential rainwater harvesting. They can fit well into narrow lots, especially since most councils have regulations dictating allowable distance between a water storage tank and the property boundary.
You can get slimline tanks in many sizes depending on your budget and water storage needs, and these tanks provide good quality water that can be redirected to replace your non-potable water needs. With filtration, treatment and enough capacity, you can actually use your rainwater tanks as your primary water source.
The quality of harvested water heavily relies on how well the tank is maintained. Fortunately, most maintenance tasks are easy to keep up with. This is especially important if you're using the water for drinking and cooking. Read on to learn how to maintain your tank monthly, quarterly and annually to get the best use of it through its lifetime.
Monthly maintenance
The thing to watch out for regularly is to prevent your water from turning into breeding grounds for mosquitoes, which love stagnant water. Every month, you should inspect your tank strainer and overflow screen for holes through which dirt, debris and insects can get into the water. Any holes must be repaired immediately. In addition, you'll need to test the stored water to make sure it's still good quality. Inspection should be done more frequently during summer months.
Quarterly maintenance
Every three months, you should remove your first-flush guards and clean them properly according to the manual. You should also inspect and clean the leaf guards on rain-heads. Inspect the gutters and roof to remove any debris such as bird droppings, leaf matter and dust. Of course, more frequent maintenance is required in summer, if you live in windy/dusty areas and after big storms.
Annual maintenance
Consider hiring an annual service to carry out proper tank cleaning, since it involves quite a bit. The entire tank should be checked, including removable components and accessories. Any needed repairs should be done. Visually inspect the water: it should be clear, clean and not have a strange smell. You can also inspect the tank for any holes through which insects and dirt could have gotten in.
Inspect the tank walls for algal growth. If found, it means there are areas where sunlight infiltrates the tank. These areas should be covered. If using the water for drinking or cooking, consider testing the water if you find anything amiss, such as evidence of bugs and algal growth. Finally, check for buildup of dirt at the base of the tank. This can be cleaned out by emptying the tank and the cleaning using a pressure washer.
Share29 August 2017
Hey! Welcome to my blog. I'm Victoria and I run an online vintage clothing store. It started out as a pretty small thing that I just did at weekends but as the business grew so did the amount of stock I was buying to sell. At first, I was just using my mom's garage to store boxes of things but soon my dad started to complain. Eventually, I decided to hire a storage unit. I asked my uncle who has his own self-storage unit for advice and he was able to make sure I got a great deal. I hope you enjoy my blog!