Water Tanks - Are They a Trend?

With the general community becoming more environmentally aware and concerned about global warming, they are trying to do their bit to help. Installing a water tank is an excellent way to reduce mains water usage and decrease water run-off down the storm water drain. Australia has only just come out of an extended drought period but many parts of the country are still suffering the effects. The effects of the drought in rural areas have flowed to the metropolitan areas. A lot of Australia's major cities have strict water restrictions. Until recently, many people in rural areas had never run out of rainwater in their water tank. But now they are having to buy larger water tanks as a backup supply to compliment their existing stocks of drinkable rainwater. Water restrictions imposed by the government, local councils and water authorities are now something every consumer has become accustomed to. Water restrictions have become necessary with Australia's population growth and global warming stretching our precious water reserves to their limits. A few years ago many local governments, councils and water authorities introduced a Concrete Water Tanks rebate scheme to encourage the general public to invest in their own rainwater tank. It is far more economical for the government to encourage everyone to install their own rainwater tank than for them to build new dams. It is also better for our environment not to have so much water run-off that alters the water table and natural flow of rivers. The introduction of water tank rebates sparked a boom in the water tank manufacturing business with many environmentally conscious people installing a couple of water tanks. This has sparked a huge rise in water tank manufacturing companies on the east coast of Australia in order to cope with the huge demand driven by the new urban market. The bubble in the rainwater tanks boom has now burst and there is an over-supply of water tank suppliers. This is great for the consumer but not for the smaller struggling water tank manufacturers. Many small family owned manufacturers and resellers have closed due to ferocious competition. The rainwater tanks boom has been fantastic for the plumbing industry. It is legal to have your water tank installed by a licensed plumber if it is to be used to flush the toilet and plumb into the laundry to use in the washing machine. In order to receive the maximum water tank rebate offered by the government, it is also compulsory to have a plumber sign off on the installation of the water tank.The introduction of the BASIX regulations has been another bonus for the rainwater tank industry All new developments Have to comply with the Australian Tanks regulations, which include the installation of a water tank for each new house or major renovation. Builders and developers are now lining up to buy rainwater tanks in order to have their buildings comply with new regulations and to be signed off by local authorities. A lot of builders are discovering that due to high demand, the availability of rainwater tanks is sometimes scarce. Some water tank manufacturers are in such demand that waiting up to 12 weeks for delivery for rainwater tanks is common. A 12 week wait for water tanks is to the extreme but a wait of 3 to 4 weeks is more common. If you are lucky enough to find a water tank supplier with the rainwater tank you want in stock, it will be a lot quicker but you may not always get a choice of where your fittings are positioned and the choice of colors may be limited. In order to avoid this, it is best to order your rainwater tank well in advance. Water tanks are here to stay, they are not a passing trend. Rainwater tanks are soon becoming common place in the backyard. They are environmentally friendly and it is a very liberating feeling to be able to use the rainwater collected off your roof that would otherwise simply go down the drain.