Slimline rainwater tanks have emerged as a smart solution for water storage, particularly for properties where space is at a premium. Combining functionality with a sleek, modern design, these tanks make rainwater harvesting accessible and efficient for a variety of applications. Whether you’re considering a sustainable solution for your home or business, slimline tanks offer numerous advantages over traditional round tanks or other storage options.

In this article, we’ll explore the top benefits of slimline rainwater tanks and why they might be the perfect choice for your water-saving needs.

1. Space-Saving Design

One of the most significant benefits of slimline rainwater tanks is their space-efficient design. Unlike the traditional round water tank, which requires ample room, slimline tanks are designed to fit snugly against walls or in narrow spaces.

Ideal for Urban Properties

For homes and businesses in urban areas with limited outdoor space, slimline tanks offer a practical solution. These tanks can be positioned along the side of a house, garage, or fence line, ensuring they don’t encroach on your usable yard or workspace.

Maximising Available Space

The tall, narrow profile of slimline tanks allows for substantial water storage without a large footprint. This makes them particularly suitable for smaller properties or locations where aesthetic considerations are important.

2. Durability and Longevity

Slimline rainwater tanks from reputable manufacturers, such as Precision Poly, are constructed from high-quality polyethylene. This material ensures durability and long-lasting performance, even under Australia’s harsh climate.

Key Features of Polyethylene Tanks:

  • UV-Resistant: Protects the tank from sun damage, extending its lifespan.
  • Corrosion-Free: Unlike steel tanks, polyethylene tanks are resistant to rust and corrosion, making them ideal for long-term water storage.
  • Impact Resistance: These tanks can withstand physical stresses and minor impacts without cracking.

The result is a tank that performs reliably over decades with minimal maintenance.

3. Sustainable Water Management

As climate change and population growth increase the demand for water resources, rainwater harvesting has become an essential strategy for sustainable living. Slimline rainwater tanks play a pivotal role in reducing reliance on municipal water supplies.

Environmental Benefits:

  • Reduced Water Waste: Capturing rainwater helps conserve groundwater and reduce pressure on public water systems.
  • Minimised Stormwater Runoff: By collecting rainwater, slimline tanks help prevent flooding and erosion in urban areas.

Additionally, these tanks contribute to cost savings by lowering water bills, especially during droughts or water restrictions.

4. Versatility for Various Applications

Slimline tanks are suitable for a wide range of uses, from domestic to commercial purposes. Despite their compact design, they can store significant amounts of water—perfect for everyday needs or as a backup supply during dry periods.

Common Uses Include:

  • Household Water Supply: For flushing toilets, laundry, and garden irrigation.
  • Agricultural Use: While larger tanks like the 20 000L water tank are often favoured for farming, slimline tanks can provide supplementary water for livestock or small-scale irrigation.
  • Commercial Applications: Businesses with restricted space can use slimline tanks for cleaning or landscaping purposes.

Their adaptability ensures they can meet varying demands without compromising efficiency or practicality.

5. Aesthetic and Functional Appeal

Gone are the days when water tanks were unsightly additions to properties. Modern slimline water tanks are designed to complement the aesthetics of homes and buildings. Available in various sizes, colours, and finishes, these tanks blend seamlessly into different environments.

Customisation Options:

Many manufacturers offer slimline tanks in a range of colours to match the surroundings or enhance the property’s appearance.

For properties with specific design requirements, slimline tanks provide a solution that balances utility with style.

Conclusion: Why Choose Slimline Rainwater Tanks?

Slimline rainwater tanks are an excellent choice for anyone looking to maximise water storage without sacrificing space or aesthetics. Their durable construction, sustainable benefits, and versatile applications make them a worthwhile investment for residential, commercial, and agricultural use.

Whether you’re upgrading your property’s water-saving capacity or installing a rainwater system for the first time, Precision Poly’s slimline tanks deliver an efficient and space-conscious solution tailored to your needs.

If you don’t want to go through the hassle of complicated plumbing, but want to increase the water storage capacity, consider linking rainwater tanks. Yes, you heard that right!

At this point, you may wonder if it is possible and, if so, how. Worry not! You’re in the right place.

There are two options – filling the tanks evenly so that all tanks receive water at the same time or filling one at a time. The instructions below cover linking two rainwater tanks but can easily to apply to linking multiple rainwater tanks.

Evenly Filling the Rainwater Tanks

This method involves the tanks being linked in a series at the bottom of the tank. When you plan on choosing this method for linking the rainwater tanks, consider the following:

  • You can link the tanks using pipes near the bottom of the rainwater tanks.
  • The rainwater will fill up the first tank and reach the height of the link.
  • It will then start flowing to the second tank until it reaches the same height.
  • After this point, you will notice both rain tanks filling up evenly until they reach their capacity.
  • Consider using isolation valves to avoid losing water from both tanks if one tank fails. If a leak or failure occurs in one tank, close the isolation valve on that tank so that the other tank can continue to collect water.

This method gives you the advantage of needing only one tap or pump outlet and a single overflow. Should you have tanks of different sizes, it’s important to ensure that the tops of the tanks are aligned, otherwise, the added height of the taller tank will be unused.

Filling One Rainwater Tank At A Time

This method involves the tanks being linked in a series at the top of the tank. Consider the following:

  • When tanks link in series, one tank fills up before rainwater fills up the next.
  • If there are multiple tanks, your last rainwater tank will have an overflow set up to remove excess water. This water gets collected in the stormwater drainage.
  • If using taps, you will need to tap each tank individually to use the water.
  • If using a pump, there is an outlet at the side of each tank. From the outlet, each tank is individually connected to piping, which is then connected to the pump.
  • For this method, you can also use isolation valves to control the release of water should any one tank spring a leak. When you open the valves, the tanks can fill up at the same time. But, if you want to fill one at a time, you can close all valves except the one filling up, and as you go on and need the next rain tank, you can open the valve in the series. This opening/closing can be done manually, but you can also opt for auto-switching.

Final Words

If you are not sure about the tank installation, it’s best to talk to a professional. A buyer’s guide can help you to some extent, but a professional has the knowledge and expertise to make sure you get it right! To discuss any of the concepts described here in more detail, our friendly staff can help.

If you want to install a rainwater tank on your property, you need to determine the right size. And that will depend on your water requirements. Of course, bigger tanks store more water, but not everyone needs a large tank. Here are some things to keep in mind when deciding the size of your rainwater tank.

The Purpose of the Tank

Are you buying your tank for building compliance? If yes, you need to determine the minimum capacity stipulated by the council. This varies in different places, but councils require you to have at least a 1000-litre water tank. Once you know the minimum capacity, you can then choose how much additional capacity you want to store. This would be best done by working out how much water you use and deciding which application types you would like the tank water to supply.

Remember that rainwater may not be appropriate for all application types when calculating. Most people use it for toilet flushing, clothes washing and outdoor needs. Ideally, you should aim to cover or significantly contribute to your brown-water usage if connected to town water. If not connected to town water, ALL water usage will need to be covered by rainwater harvesting and you can use your existing water bill to etermine how much water you use.

Here’s a handy table to assist in your calculation of water uses by application type:

Application Water Used
Brown Water Uses
Toilet Flush (Half) 3 litres per flush
Toilet Flush (Full) 6 litres per flush
Clothes Washing (Front Loader) 80 litres per load
Clothes Washing (Top Loader) 100 litres per load
Sprinkler, Hosing, Filling Pool 15 litres per minute
Drip Watering 6 litres per hour
Car Wash 200 litres per wash
Drinking Water Uses
Shower 15 litres per minute
Bath 150 litres per bath
Dishwasher 30 litres per load
Brushing Teeth while tap running) 5 litres per minute
Kitchen tap 5 litres per minute

Once you have the number of these uses per week worked out, you can then calculate the amount of water required per year by multiplying by 52 weeks.

The Amount of Water You Can Harvest

The general rule of thumb says that each roof space can harvest about 1 litre of water for every 1
millimetre of rainfall. So you can use this formula to determine the amount of water you can
collect. Take (x) square metres of the available roof space where you connect your rainwater tank and multiply by the amount of rainfall received to help you make an accurate decision.

For instance, if your roof space measures 100 square metres and you receive 450mm of rainfall per year, using the above formula, you will multiply 100 square metres of roof space with 450mm of
rainfall to get 45000 litres.

Assuming that your tank fills thrice a year (this is entirely dependent on the rainfall and your usage patterns), the minimum size of your water tank should be 15000L. You can confirm the average
rainfall per annum here.

The Amount of Space You Have

How big your water tank should be, depends on the available space. If your space is limited, you’ll have no option but to opt for a smaller tank. Some Tetris-like configurations are possible such as installing several slimline tanks down the side of a building where a single round tank would be too wide. Alternative configurations are to put smaller round tanks at either end of a building or using underground tanks.

Whether You Use a “First Flush” Device

This device is used to divert the first (x) litres of water after every rainwater harvesting. The water is diverted to stormwater, reducing the chances of leaves, debris and other contaminants from the collection source entering the tank and polluting the water. While this method keeps the water clean, it can cause a slight reduction in your water harvesting ability.

Whether you Are Using Multiple Tanks or One Tank

If you have multiple catchment areas (such as the house, plus other constructions such as sheds), you could install a tank at each building. In this circumstance, your considerations would be the same as for choosing one tank per building. However, if you are using multiple tanks – allowing you to further increase capacity by adding more tanks at a later date – you might decide to choose slightly smaller tanks to reduce your costs for each outlay.

In Conclusion

The above tips will help you decide what size of tank you need. But if you’re still unsure about your decision, it helps to talk to an expert. Our staff can help point you in the right direction. So call us today.

rainwater tank is something that will not be overlooked again in all new constructions, including new constructions for spas or swimming pools that must have a BASIX® certificate. However, if a spa or a swimming pool requires remodelling, a rainwater tank isn’t a necessary requirement. There are various things to consider when selecting a water tank. They include:

  • The location of the construction
  • The number of rooms required (Recommended for new homes)
  • Type of landscaping (Recommended for new homes)
  • Area of landscaping (Recommended for new homes)
  • The roof must be situated well for easy collection
  • Water rated fixtures
  • Materials used to connect the tank to the gutters
  • Size of the spa or swimming pool
  • The spa or swimming pool cover

Unlike any other type of water, rainwater is said to be free from toxins and safe for drinking. However, the method of collection must be ideal for it to be safe for consumption. Rainwater comes directly from the sky. In this regard, it’s arguably the safest water to drink because it’s free from contaminants and other substances that may contaminate it.
The problem is, rain is seasonal and in the dry periods our roofs are likely to be contaminated with other factors such as tree leaves and branches, animal droppings, and dust. If this issue is not addressed during the rainy season, the water collected will be contaminated and not safe for drinking. Fortunately, there is a recommended way for reducing these contaminants. First Flush Diverter is a perfect way of eliminating these contaminants.

The BASIX® certificate doesn’t give guidelines about the use of this equipment, but it’s actually a very important addition when it comes to rainwater tank installation. Some of the advantages of this device include: – maintaining the cleanliness of the tank, increasing the lifespan of the pump and internal appliances connected to the tank.

How First Flush Diverter Works?

If you are living in a region where there are many trees, then you need the assistance of the gutters and valley leaf guard to support this system. Also, if your home is situated in Bush Fire Prone areas, the gutter and valley leaf guards are a must have and they must be fire resistant or none combustible.Given that BASIX® certificate only give guidelines about the volume of the new house water tank; the type of the rainwater tank can be based on:

  • Aesthetics
  • The volume required
  • Height and width requirements
  • Location on site (below or above the ground)
  • Your budget

The materials that are used frequently to make rainwater tanks are:

  • Polyurethane
  • Metal (preferably colorbond steel)
  • Adjustable bladder tanks
  • Concrete

The BASIX® certificate allows you to connect your rainwater tank to:

  • Spa (if necessary)
  • Swimming pools (if necessary)
  • All types of toilets Garden and laws Laundry
  • Drinking and other household items

Usually, gardens and lawns, all toilets, and laundry are selected, but some people have different views about laundry. However, given that rainwater is arguably the safest water to drink, it’s also considered to be ideal for laundry.
The BASIX® certificate centre takes all these issues into consideration to try to come up with the best rainwater tank that suits your needs.

Water tanks have many advantages including:

  • Eligibility for the NSW Government rebates
  • Ability to water your garden and laws anytime you want
  • Allows you to limit the amount of water that you spend and save more
  • Ability to wash your house or car as many times as you want
  • Enough water to fill your swimming pool or spa
  • Adds the value of your property

Water’s life-giving properties make it the most vital resource available to mankind. Throughout the year, seasonal changes, humidity and heat cause rainfall cycles. Precipitation that infiltrates downward is contained within underground in reserves beneath layers of rock or artesian aquifers. While nature works its wonder, our water resources in Australia are being depleted as the government struggles to create more water storage.

Companies who care are quick to act and come up with new innovations. Recent developments and water conservation efforts include drip irrigation technology and underground water storage solutions with the world’s future in mind.

Underground Water Tanks: The Hidden Path to A Better Planet

During ancient times, people dug up a portion of a dry river bed or desert to find the perfect spot to “soak” and obtain water. While wells keep water cool and readily available, contaminants or toxins also have easy access.

Underground water tanks are more effective storage options. Designed to ‘harvest’ rainwater, it can be relied on to provide water at a later time. Arid places are restored and brought to life as soil quality is enhanced with moisture. Hot, dry, and windy regions benefit from decreased evaporative losses of underground water.

Underground rainwater tanks maintain cool water temperature while inhibiting algae growth. The entire system remains unseen beneath the earth during its quiet operation. A submersible pump may be installed to bring water towards the surface.

Fast-track to modern day, underground rainwater tanks function to accumulate, store, and direct or divert excess water wherever and whenever the need arises. Underground water tanks storage solutions are ideally placed under the garden or driveway of homes in suburban areas with limited space. Collected from rooftops, water isn’t really best for consumption, but availability extends usefulness in daily tasks, such as toilet flushing, washing the car or watering house plants.

Underground Water Tank Storage for Human or Animal Consumption

Health Department standards must be adhered to. Australian and New Zealand standards for water storage must altogether be met, whether tank material is manufactured from concrete or food grade polyethylene.

Professionally installed underground water storage systems ensure optimal functionality and safe operation. Underground water tanks are long-lasting solutions that require little or no maintenance, except for the filters and pump which works for your own safety. Though a tank arrives with simple filtration, using gutter screens can help keep your storage clear of debris, leaves and twigs.

Rainwater is an excellent free resource with many great applications. We use it to keep our gardens green and healthy, to lead a sustainable lifestyle, to save money and to reduce or eliminate our reliance on public water supplies.

Whatever specific needs that you are using your rainwater tank for, it is critical that your rainwater is as clean and pure as it can possibly be. This becomes even more important when you live somewhere that is exposed to pollutants, such as a city.

The most important first step to water that is always clean and free of impurities is to begin with a high-quality Poly Water Tank and associated accessories, such as water tank pumps and filters. You should also have your entire rainwater system installed by a licensed plumber according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Next, spend the time to make sure that your down pipes and gutters are kept clean and free of leaves and other forms of debris. Also be sure to regularly clean and replace your inlet mesh.

The installation of a filter and diverter between your house and your pump is the next step, which will ensure that you minimize any grit or sand that can get into your washing machine or toilet as part of the collected rainwater.

You should check on your inlet strainer weekly, and your filter cartridge and pump every three months. You will need to change your filter cartridge every six to nine months and rinse your strainers to keep them clean from leaf litter and dust. If you bought a cover for your water tank pump, it will aid you in keeping the pump clean and operating effectively, and help the the noise reduction of your pump’s motor.

If you use an underground tank and a back-up connection to the public water system, then your plumber should inspect the back-flow prevention valves once each year.

When rainfall is scarce, there can often be a build up of sludge that will lower the quality of the rainwater held in your tank. Even when rain is not scarce, it is still possible to have sludge build up from not flushing your tank with rainwater. If the rainwater in your tank is being regularly refreshed from new rainfall, which contains fresh oxygen, then this will only apply to the area above the outlet.

Even with strainers and filters, microscopic organic particles will enter your rainwater tank, and then proceed to accumulate at your tank’s bottom. This accumulation will become a layer of sludge because the bottom of your rainwater tank is an anaerobic zone, without oxygenation. Too much of this sludge will affect the quality of the rainwater in your tank, and will need to be removed only if the tank water is used for human consumption.

Ideally you want to check the bottom of your tank once every two to three years as part of a routine maintenance plan.

Regular maintenance programs for pumps and rainwater tanks save owners money and time, and can usually be arranged with the plumber who installed the system. If not, there are always plumbers who are willing to take on a maintenance and repair contract for a rainwater tank and pump system.

Your small initial investment into a rainwater tank will offer you many years of healthy and free rainwater. All it takes is a small amount of looking after on your part.

Indeed, there are several areas in Australia that experience dire water shortages, especially during summer. One of the affected areas is NSW. In order to address this issue, NSW residents require reliable water storage facilities that can enable them to have access to clean water even in times of extreme water shortages.  One company that can serve to ensure that this objective is met is Precision Poly Water Tanks. Precision Poly Water Tanks can provide appropriate water storage tanks that will ensure that NSW residents have access to water whenever they need it.

Lack of water can have several adverse effects on the part of the people affected. One of the major effects of lack of water is dehydration which is a condition that results from lack of enough water in the body system. Dehydration undermines normal body functioning and if in extreme cases, it can even result in the loss of life. In addition to predisposing people to dehydration, lack of enough water can lead to poor hygiene and this will, in turn, translate to various infections and diseases that come about as a result of poor hygiene.

Precision Poly Water Tanks is one of the companies that can actually serve to alleviate this problem. The company can supply crucial water storage facilities since it deals with manufacture and supply of various types of water storage tanks that can easily be supplied to all areas of NSW, Sydney and Central Coast residents.

Some of the tanks that Precision Poly Water Tanks include:

  • Slimline Tanks
  • Large Rural Tanks
  • Round Rainwater Tanks
  • Underground Poly Tanks
  • Underdeck tanks

The tanks are classified based on their water storage capacities. For instance, the small tanks are capable of storing 200 to 9000 litres of water. These tanks are mainly meant for domestic use. On the other hand, Slimline tanks are much larger tanks that can store 5000 to 9000 litres of water. The slimline tanks are ideal for city locations where they can be used to serve a higher number of people. In case you need a storage facility that can be stored underground, then you can go for the underground poly tank that is specifically designed to be kept in an underground environment. Underground water tanks can store up to 5000 to 25,000 litres of water making them ideal for both home or city use. The most important to remember is to select a tank that will actually provide adequate water for their intended use.

Currently, there is a high demand for water tanks in NSW and Sydney. These water tanks are needed by the residents of these two places to enable them to have access to enough water in times of extreme water shortage especially during summer. It is also important to point out that NSW, Sydney and other location nearby are known to be very pristine on account of the several gardens and parks that line up the cities and towns. In order to maintain these parks, the authorities also require a lot of water to ensure that the plants are able to thrive throughout the seasons. This need is also more pronounced during the summer season since the supply of water from natural sources is extremely limited during summer. Rainwater Tanks Direct and other companies that deal in the provision of water tanks can definitely play an important role in ensuring that the water needs of the residents are met throughout the year.

Below are basic instructions for the home handyman.Always refer to instructions supplied with your new water tank.

GUIDELINES FOR INSTALLATION OF WATER TANKS:

Tools Required:

  • Hacksaw
  • 25mm Poly Pipe and Fittings
  • Garden Tap
  • Teflon Tape
  • File
  • 90mm PVC Down Pipe and Fittings

Prepare the base:

The base must be perfectly level and solid when installing round tanks or underdeck tanks. A concrete base is the best. Any alternatives such as sand or gravel have to be carefully evaluated against the substrate and any potential risk of waterlogging the ground. We strongly recommend that slimline tanks be placed on a concrete base. Please consult a qualified plumber if you are not confident.

Installation Steps

  • Position the tank with the leaf strainer inlet and the overflow closest to the downpipe and the stormwater drain.
  • Modify the existing downpipe to divert the roof water into the strainer.
  • Attach enough 90mm downpipe to the overflow outlet to reach the stormwater drain.
  • Use eight turns of thread tape to attach the flexible suction hose to the pump and the tank’s ball valve outlet.
  • Attach 25mm poly pipe to the pump outlet and connect it to the tap attached to the wall.
  • Fill the tank with 150mm of water then prime the pump per manufacturer’s instructions.
  • Plug in the power lead from the pump and open the tap. Keep the water flowing until all air is bled from the system.

Maintenance of Your Rainwater Tank

  • Remove leaves from the strainer regularly.
  • Keep the pump covered at all times.

A study (April 2007) by Marsden Jacobs Associates was prepared for the Australian Conservation Foundation, Environment Victoria and the Nature Conservation Council of NSW.

This research focused on the impact of a potentially targeted rainwater tank roll-out in Sydney, Melbourne and South East Queensland in comparison to other ‘conventional’ water supply options such as new dams and desalination plants.

This study compares the yield and levelised cost (i.e. the direct cost per kilolitre supplied) of each supply option.

The study recognizes the broader cost savings of rainwater tanks to the community such as deferred water infrastructure, savings to stormwater infrastructure and environmental externalities such as the cost of greenhouse gas emissions.

The study found that:

  • Rainwater tanks are cost competitive with dams and desalination plants.
  • Rainwater tanks are five times more energy efficient than desalination plants (rainwater tanks requiring 1 MWh/ML compared to typical desalination plant of 5 MWh/ML) and twice as energy efficient as the proposed Traveston dam.
  • If governments deployed rainwater tanks to 5 per cent of households each year in Sydney and South-East Queensland, dams and desalination plants planned for 2010 could be delayed past 2026 (Sydney) and 2019 (South East Queensland).
  • A preliminary estimate of the cost of a 5 percent rollout would be approximate $200-$280 million per annum in Sydney; $180-$250 million per annum in Melbourne and $140-$200 million per annum in South East Queensland.
  • Most Australian houses are suitable for a rainwater tank. In Sydney 65 percent (or 1.1 million houses), in SEQ 73 percent (or 900 000 houses) and in Melbourne 72 percent of existing houses have the potential for a rainwater tank.