Rainwater Tanks

What does a rainwater tank do?

A underground rainwater tank does the same thing as a rainbarrel except that the water in the gutter goes underground leading to a underground tank.

A typical water tank gets the runoff water from the roof which goes into the gutter. After that the water falls into the rainwater tank and is stored until further use. 

What Would I Use the Water For?

• Dishwasher
• Watering
• Yard
• Washing
• Machine
• Toilets
• Sinks
• Drinking Water
• Showers
• Cooking

What Are Rainwater 

Tanks Made Of?

Poly-

Is made of food grade plastic and lasts around 15 years, but one of the downfalls is that it’s made from petrochemicals (petrochemicals are made from crude oil and natural gas)

Steel tanks-

There are Galvanized steel and Zincalume steel tanks

Fiber Glass

It tends to let in more light then others which can cause algae to grow in it. A way to fix this problem is to paint it.

Pros and Cons

Pros-

• Saves water that might have been wasted
• Many different sizes are available to buy
• Saves money in the long run
• Rainwater contains excellent nutrients for gardening and is not treated with a variety of harsh chemicals to make the water “clean”

Cons-

• Young children can drown if it doesn’t have a child proof top
• Costs lots more money if you buy a underground tank
• Doesn’t always look that nice in the yard

Is Rain Water Safe?

The greatest potential risk to health comes from contamination of water with harmful micro organisms, such as parasites, bacteria, animal, bird droppings, viruses, and dirt. Some of the ways that you clean the water is by using:

References

• http://www.rainharvesting.com.au/safer_than_mains_water-.asp
• http://www.adelaide.edu.au/news/news28961.html
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainwater_tank
• http://www.rainwaterstoragetank.com.au/
• http://www.rfcity.org/eng/Stormwater/RainBarrelProgram/rb_srd_wg.jpg
• http://www.dtbpumps.com/images/house-v2.jpg

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