Rainwater harvesting is a practice homeowners adopt to conserve water, which is a way of contributing to the environment positively. They also harvest to avail extra water for their home use. Are you a homeowner who’s yet to adopt rainwater harvesting? Do you know what you need for the success of the project?
One essential item you need is a rainwater tank. However, before installing the tank in your yard, there are a few things to consider to ensure the tank serves you efficiently. What are these things? Read on to get this insight!
Amount Of Rainwater
From the name, it’s clear that a rainwater tank will rely on rainfall to feed it. Therefore, you must consider the amount of rain you get in your area. It’ll help you determine the tank size to acquire.
If you receive rain most of the year, consider buying a large-sized water tank. There are many options to choose from. Models over 5,000 litres are quite popular, and you should consider getting one. For moderate to minimal rain, go for a medium or small tank.
That said, there’s another aspect to consider regarding the amount of rainwater you get. This is the size of your roof. A large roof will collect more rainwater than a small roof, necessitating the need for a large tank. The reverse applies to the small roof.
Overall, the aim is to get a tank whose size will accommodate rainfall without spillage to minimize wastage. So, carefully consider the amount of rainwater you normally get in your area to determine the right tank size you need.
Space Available
Before making your tank purchase, you ought to consider your yard’s space. Your property should hold your tank while allowing you to use it for other needs like gardening. It’s advisable to go for a large-capacity tank if there’s adequate space in your compound and a small-sized one if there’s minimal space.
There are numerous tank options if you have a small space. Suppose you live in an apartment complex with minimal space and can’t host a large water tank without disturbing other tenants. Consider investing in a slimline water tank. This tank is slim in width but has a longer length, meaning it’ll take up less space on your floor area. You can also invest in an under-deck tank if you can’t spare space in your yard, even to host a small-sized tank. It will occupy unused space in your property without interfering with any existing land use.
Government Rules And Regulations
You might wonder why governing rules are something to consider with rainwater harvesting. Some states prohibit rainwater collection stating that it’s more or less public property. Since you don’t want to fall on the wrong side of the law, it’s crucial to find out if such laws exist in your locality.
Moreover, even if rainwater harvesting isn’t illegal in your state, consider if there are laws regulating the practice. Depending on the tank size, is there a maximum amount of water you can collect? If such restrictions exist, learn them and adopt them appropriately.
Household Needs
Households will have different water needs based on various factors. One is the number of people in your home relying on the stored rainwater. Investing in a large water tank is best if you’re many in your home. You want to avail as much water as possible to meet everyone’s needs.
Your household needs also depend on your area’s climate. Do you receive frequent rainfall, or do you have extended periods of drought? In most cases, if there’s drought, you’ll have water shortage since the main source of water, even if from the municipal, is minimal or dry. In such cases, you want an alternative water source to meet your needs, and it’s best to invest in a large tank.
Lastly, your other household need might be the need to reduce water bills. Water bills will likely be high if you solely rely on municipal water, which you have to pay. These bills can be high if you use this water for all your household chores, gardening, and cleaning your car or walkway. However, should you have stored rainwater, you’ll stop full reliance on municipal water reducing your bills.
Now, if you want to reduce these bills by a huge margin, invest in a large-sized tank that will meet most, if not all, of your water needs, including for drinking. However, you need to filter the stored water to be safe for drinking. You don’t want to get water-borne diseases.
If you still need municipal water, you can consider getting a medium-sized one where you’ll alternate the use of the stored water and municipal water. This way, your water bill will still be reduced as you’re not fully relying on municipal water.
Conclusion
The discussion above shows what you should consider before installing a rainwater tank in your yard. The tips evolve around finding the right water tank size to harvest the rainwater. From the insight herein, you’re better placed to pinpoint the right tank size to buy, factoring in your needs. Should you get stuck in making a choice, seek help from the water tank vendor. They’ll advise you accordingly, depending on your needs. By doing so, you’ll find the tank to meet your rainwater harvesting needs efficiently.
