Above ground water tanks are great for harvesting rain water, a phenomenon that has gained popularity all over Australia over the past few years. More people are recognising the importance of having extra water storage to carry out some of the activities in the home such as watering the plants and even washing the car. As far as water tanks go, there is the option of getting an underground installation, or an above ground reservoir. Most people opt for the above ground kind, since the underground tanks can are more expensive to set up, since excavation can be expensive.
With an above ground water tank, the most common question that people looking to get one ask is, can it be set up right next to the house? The simple answer to this is yes. It is in fact possible to safely install and above ground tank in close proximity to your home, although some other factors will come into play before you make that decision. Some of these are important decisions that will include a visit to your local council office. Here are the considerations in question:
Council approval
The first step of any augmentation of your property, whether it is the construction of a garden shed, or the installation of a water tank, is always to check with your local council on regulations. These could be anywhere from where the property line lies, to rules on the placement of your water tank. All these will come into play when deciding where to place your above ground tank.
Some councils have a setback condition that regulates how far from your property line your tank should be. This will definitely affect placement, if the site is close to the boundary, for those whose houses are near the fence. Others require that you set aside storage capacity for storm water detection, or if you live in areas that are prone to bush fires, for firefighting purposes. Others may just require that your tank be hidden from view by anyone on the street. All these are factors that may affect whether you can install your tank close to the house.
Installation of the piping
This is one of the factors that is on your side. The best place to set up the tank is as close to the downpipe from the gutters as possible. This is why you should scout the locations of all the downpipes, and pick a location that is not encumbered by other features on your property like a path. Setting your tank close to your house lets you avoid the additional cost of laying piping from your downpipes to the tank in a dry system (Where the pipes are set up above ground which is unsightly).
The downside of this type of installation is that you do not get to tap into multiple drain pipes to your tank.
Plumbing and the placement of the pump
The plumbing in your house will determine where you can place your tank in more ways than one. If your plan on using the harvested water towards the front of your house for watering the lawn of cleaning the driveway, then it makes sense that the tank is oriented towards that direction. If you plan on linking smaller tanks together, then the plumbing might necessitate that one of those tanks be further away from your house in order to serve the area of your compound that needs the water, for instance the garden. You should also leave space for a water pump.
Space you have in regard to the size of the tank
The space next to your house might not be enough to place a large tank, which defeats the purpose of harvesting water in the first place. When it comes to rain water storage, the larger the tank, the better. This is why you need to look at all your water needs, then find out what size tank fulfils them. The next step is to measure the area you have selected for the tank, and then look at all the tank options available for one that fits both your needs, and the space available. Check to see if the height of the tank will obstruct the view from your windows as well.
Does it look good?
Some people take great pride in the aesthetics of their compound, with every single component carefully placed. From the pool to the grilling area, everything is meticulously planned out to maintain a certain look. In such as situation, you may need to consider how the tank installation will affect your carefully planned out yard. If you are set on the location, then you may want to look at the various ways to hide a water tank, such as putting on corrugated ribs in different colours to match the surrounding.
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