For those rural homeowners who live in a hot and dry climate, water is a very precious commodity, and when it does finally rain, most of the valuable water runs off the roof to be swallowed up by the parched ground. Heavy rain, for example, can deliver millions of litres of water in a very short time, and if you have an efficient rainwater harvesting system in place, absolutely nothing gets wasted.
Steel Water Tanks
If you have recently been to the Outback, you will have seen many water tanks, and with just about every property carrying at least one, rainwater harvesting is an essential component to living in dry regions. In such climates, rain tends to be infrequent, nut when it does rain, it can come down in torrents, and without a suitable harvesting system in place, you cannot save more than a tiny percentage, if you are lucky that is. Modern steel water tanks are guaranteed for 20 years, and with state of the art linings, the water is kept in optimum condition, and is certainly drinkable. Harvesting the rainwater brings many benefits to the landowner, as it can be used to protect the home in the event of a bushfire, and also for many other household uses, like watering the garden and washing the car.
State Assistance
If you live in Australia, you might be able to receive a rainwater tank rebate, as the government is keen to help rural people who wish to conserve water and also have the means to protect their home in the event of a fire. The best way to find out would be to source an established rainwater tank supplier, and they would be able to tell you how you stand in relation to getting financial help to install a water fire tank or rain harvesting system.
Online Calculators
The established supplier in Australia has a really neat rainwater harvesting app on their website, and by simply entering in an approximate area of roofing and the annual rainfall, you can instantly see how much rainwater you could harvest. A typical family of four would use between 250- 300,000 litres of water per year, and with an efficient rainwater harvesting system in place, you would be able to secure a large portion of the annual use.
Fire Protection
The collected water can also be used to fight a bush fire, and for many rural homeowners in parts of Australia, this is a very real threat. Of course, the tank would have to be fitted with the right valves and piping, and with fire station compatible fittings, the emergency services could instantly hook up and extinguish the fire.
Rainfall can be very unpredictable, especially in Australia, and if you have a state of the art harvesting system with a large capacity steel tank, you can be sure of catching as much of that precious liquid as is possible. If your property lacks water storage and you would like to change that, an online search will lead to an established supplier who can tailor the system to suit your needs.