Save Water and Money with Water Tanks

I believe it is important to bring to Members' attention, the water saving reductions and reduced stormwater run-off provided by a small rainwater tank on the average urban allotment.

Based on rainfall patterns since 1980, a 4,500 litre rainwater tank will yield the following water volumes per year in Australia's capital cities.

Estimated maximum rainwater collection efficiency from the roof of an average home is 80% and therefore the maximum possible reduction in stormwater discharge is 80%.

In Sydney and Brisbane, a 10,000 litre capacity rainwater tank will yield about 80% of indoor water use with about a 60% reduction in stormwater. In the other cities a larger rainwater tank would provide a very small additional yield.

Storing rainwater for garden watering is a highly inefficient use of a rainwater tank and should never be a primary use if the objective is to maximise water yield.

Australia has 5 million free standing family homes. If 5% of homes install a rainwater tank each year, security of urban water supply will be assured by 2014.

65% or 156KL/Y is used indoors.
- Source: Melbourne Water Resources Strategy Committee, June 2001, pages 14, 17.

The rainwater tank yield calculations were based on daily rainfall as recorded between 1980 - 2001 inclusive at the following sites of the Bureau of Meteorology:

Sydney Regional Office site 66062
Melbourne Regional Office site 86071
Brisbane Regional Office site 40214 (1980 - 1993)
Brisbane Airport site 40842 (1995 - 2001)
Adelaide Regional Office site 23090
Perth Airport site 9021
Hobart Regional Office site 94029

A is the efficiency of collection and a value of 0.8 is used.
B is the loss associated with adsorption and wetting of surfaces and a value of 2 mm per month (24 mm per year) is used.
- Source: National Environmental Health Forum Monograph - water series 3: guidance on the use of rainwater tanks, 1998. /http ://enhealth. nphp. gov. au/council/pubs/pdf7rainwtr. pdf

Roof area of average home: 175M2
- Source: Melbourne Water Resources Strategy Committee.Tank draw-down/day: 427 litres (156 000/365).

Amount of rainfall to produce 427 litres: 3MM (175 X 3 X 0.8)
Total stormwater discharge = (Rainfall -24MM) X Roof Area

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Water Savings From Urban Water Tanks