There are a lot of good reasons for installing a rainwater tank on your property. With much of urban Australia now on metered water supplies, the cost of water is only going to go up. A rainwater tank is a solid investment that will save you a substantial amount of water costs in the long term and even add to the value of your home or property. Most domestic water tanks are relatively simple systems which, when installed properly, are easy to use and can help your home become more sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Here are three of the most popular ways that rainwater is used around the home.

Rainwater for the garden

Depending on which area of Australia you live in, the percentage household water used to maintain the average size vegetable garden can be more than 50%. If your property is on metered water, growing your own vegies can become an expensive exercise. Large gardens can be very thirsty and a few days without water at the wrong time of year can quickly kill off your crop. If you’re planning on using rain water primarily in the garden, then you should consider a larger tank that can store enough water from the wet season to sustain your garden throughout drier periods. 

Rainwater for the toilet
To maximise the value of a rainwater tank, you should consider connecting it your home’s plumbing for internal use. That way you can continue to use the tank to its full capability during the winter months when you’re not using outside as much. The average toilet uses up to 12 litres per flush and most people flush at least three times per day – that’s 252 litres a week at a minimum. Connecting a rainwater tank to your toilet system will lead to major water savings over the years to come. A slimline tank will fit snugly against the outside wall and easily connect to your home’s plumbing system and is a space efficient option that works for most circumstances.  Installing a simple automated diversion system will ensure that your toilet draws on mains water if the tank is empty.  Alternatively, a top up system will measure the water level and top it up from the mains supply if it gets too low.

Rainwater for the laundry

There are a few easy ways to make your laundry more water efficient, and connecting a rain water tank to your washing machine is one of the most effective. Some washing machines use up to 150 litres of water per load. When you consider that most households do 5-6 loads of washing per week, you can see how it starts to add up very quickly. If you’re planning to use a rainwater tank to supply your washing machine, it is worth considering that a four star front loading washing machine generally only uses 47 litres per load.