CSIRO has released a new study into the usage and conditions of rainwater tanks. Surveying 417 residential rainwater tanks (in the Melbourne metropolitan area) the objective was to deliver data on the conditions of a representative stock of at least 400 tanks. This data can then be used by rainwater tank owners to see what works and doesn’t work in the operation of rainwater tanks. It can also be used by urban water planners, health departments (to assess risk) and the rainwater tank industry to support industry learning and promotion of best practice.
The survey found that:
- 62% of tanks were installed between 2007 and 2010, during the peak of the drought.
- 96% of participants saw a benefit to having a rainwater tank, such as:
- being able to water during restrictions
- reducing water consumption bills
- providing benefits to the environment
- There were also some concerns in regards to maintenance, such as:
- 9% of sites had faulty diverters.
- 5% of sites had pumps that did not work.
- 39% of sites had lead flashing on the roof.
- 19% of water samples taken had an odour present
- 12% of sites had mosquito larvae present in water or mosquitoes present in the tank
More details of the study can be found on the ClearWater website.
