Implementing a rainwater harvesting system is becoming more commonplace within Australian homes.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 25% of Australian households now harvest rainwater, resulting in the collection of an additional 274 billion litres of water each and every year.
With benefits such as reducing the environmental footprint, and saving money on your mains water bill over the long term, it makes sense to join this ever-increasing number of water harvesting Australians.
With that being said, the number one question is… “so how much will a water tank cost me”?
The broad answer to this question is; a poly rainwater tank will likely set you back anywhere between $1000 and $8000** for water storage from 1000L to 50,000L, and a steel rainwater tank will set you back somewhere between $6,040 and $29,930** for water storage from 10,000L to 280,000L.
If that pricing sounds pretty vague to you, that’s because unfortunately, purchasing a rainwater tank is not a one size fits all solution.
As such, we’ve created this article to highlight key factors you should consider, which will help you make the best water tank buying decision possible.
**Steel water tank prices and poly water tank prices indicated on this page are an estimate for information purposes only. Actual water tank prices will vary dependent upon size, state, colour, accessories, installation location and sales campaign at the time.
Since 1988, Pioneer Water Tanks has supplied Australians with water tanks for domestic, farming, fire fighting and industrial applications.
This is a very common question to ask when you first decide you need to purchase a water storage tank. In order to answer it properly, there is one main question to answer first: what are you going to be using the harvested water for?
Generally speaking, people harvest rainwater for one of three main reasons:
Utilising harvested rainwater for household supply can include the following uses:
You will always be limited by how much water you can catch and harvest (unless you are supplying water from a dam or bore, or refilling your water tank with cartage water). You can determine the potential volume of water you can harvest by multiplying the square meterage of your catching surface (for example, your home or shed roof), by the annual rainfall in millimetres. As such if your catching surface is 250 square meters, and your annual rainfall is 200mm, you may be able to catch up to 50kl of water per year.
On average, each person within a household will consume approximately 30kl of water each year. Utilising this figure as a guide, you can estimate how much water you will need to harvest, in order to satisfy this demand. However, if you aren’t going to be using your water tank for potable drinking water, and are only looking to use it in certain parts of the house, or adversely are looking to only use your rainwater storage for potable water, you will have to calculate your usage manually.
Now that you have an idea of how much water you can catch, as well as how much water you will need, you are in a better position to work out what size rainwater tank you will need when using your water tank for domestic water supply purposes.
Those looking for water tanks to assist with irrigation usually have access to a sustainable water source such as a dam or a bore. In this instance, the size of your water tank will be determined by how much water you need to utilise at any one time, in addition to your refill capability and the time it takes to refill your water tank.
Something to be mindful of is your water tank flow rate (how often your water tank is refilled). A higher flow rate may lead to increased and premature wear and tear on supporting mechanical equipment (such as your pump). In order to reduce your flow rate, you can choose a larger water tank size that holds more rainwater and therefore can reduce the stress on supporting assets.
Water Tank Size | Ideal Rainwater Tank Type | Average Starting Price |
|---|---|---|
1000 Litres | Poly Water Tank | $1250 |
5000 Litres | Poly Water Tank | $1,550 |
10,000 Litres | Poly Water Tank | $2,500 |
30,000 Litres | Steel Water Tank | $7,620 |
50,000 Litres | Steel Water Tank | $9,240 |
110,000 Litres | Steel Water Tank | $13,290 |
150,000 Litres | Steel Water Tank | $17,120 |
220,000 Litres | Steel Water Tank | $23,890 |
250,000 Litres | Steel Water Tank | $24,470 |
330,000 Litres | Steel Water Tank | $38,120 |
370,000 Litres | Steel Water Tank | $42,530 |
410,000 Litres | Steel Water Tank | $47,150 |
500,000 Litres | Steel Water Tank | $56,280 |
**Steel water tank prices and poly water tank prices indicated on this page are an estimate for information purposes only.
Actual water tank prices will vary dependent upon size, state, colour, accessories, installation location and sales campaign at the time.
Pioneer Water Tanks are offered in a variety of sizes to achieve your water storage goals.
The Litres/Gallons stated in the table are gross capacities.
Actual useable volume will vary depending on the size and position of inlets and outlets.
MODEL | Diameter | Height | Litres | Gallons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
GT10 | 2.67m | 2.18m | 12,200 | 2,600 |
GT20 | 3.34m | 2.18m | 19,100 | 4,200 |
GT30 | 4.01m | 2.18m | 27,542 | 6,053 |
GT40 | 4.68m | 2.18m | 37,574 | 8,258 |
GT50 | 5.35m | 2.18m | 48,963 | 10,761 |
GT60 | 6.02m | 2.18m | 62,111 | 13,651 |
GT80 | 6.69m | 2.18m | 76,504 | 16,814 |
GT90 | 7.35m | 2.18m | 92,570 | 20,345 |
GT110 | 8.02m | 2.18m | 110,116 | 24,212 |
GT130 | 8.69m | 2.18m | 129,292 | 28,416 |
GT150 | 9.36m | 2.18m | 149,948 | 32,956 |
GT170 | 10.03m | 2.18m | 172,134 | 37,832 |
GT200 | 10.70m | 2.18m | 195,851 | 43,044 |
GT220 | 11.36m | 2.18m | 221,604 | 48,704 |
GT250 | 12.03m | 2.18m | 247,874 | 54,478 |
GT280 | 12.70m | 2.18m | 276,180 | 60,751 |
GTi291 | 10.70m | 3.23m | 290,632 | 63,876 |
GTi328 | 11.36m | 3.23m | 328,096 | 72,109 |
GTi328 | 12.03m | 3.23m | 367,831 | 80,784 |
GTi410 | 12.70m | 3.23m | 409,860 | 90,157 |
GTi454 | 13.37m | 3.23m | 454,112 | 99,891 |
GTi501 | 14.04m | 3.23m | 500,065 | 500,065 |
We estimate that the average rural home requires approximately 30,000 litres of water storage per person.
To work out how much rainwater you can harvest from the roof of your home (catchment area) use the simple calculator attached.
Generally speaking, plastic tanks are better value than a steel rainwater tank within the lower volume sized range. This is because the polyethylene (a food-grade plastic) that they are constructed from is lightweight and relatively cheap to make.
Another key area where a poly water tank may be of better value is in relation to footprint size. If the area you have identified to place your water tank is restricted by way of access, or footprint size, there are a few different poly water tank options that may be well suited.
There are three forms of poly rainwater tank that are the most common which are; slimline water tanks, round poly water tanks, and round squat poly water tanks.
Slimline water tanks are ideal for water storage in suburban households that have space restrictions, where traditional round tanks may not fit.
The varieties of length within the slimline tank range makes them ideal to fit between windows and in narrow spaces such as down the side of the house, so as not to inhibit household aesthetics.
Whilst the slimline water tank can be long and thin, you can also utilise a round tank.
The smaller diameter poly tank can be very useful in tight areas and can be easily relocated to different areas if the need arises.
The squat poly water tank is extremely useful in areas where there is a low roof line or where the tank would need to fit on a stand and still be below the eaves of the roof.
By design, it is a round, short tank that will allow you to harvest the water you require, without taking up a lot of space.
As can be verified by the chart above, the price of water tanks becomes cheaper on a cents per litre basis as water tank sizes increase. The limiting factor of the poly tanks compared to a steel tank is the storage capacity of an individual water tank.
Let’s use the example of capturing and storing 80kl of rainwater. With the poly water tank option, you would likely need 2 x 40kl poly water storage tanks. As per the above estimated water tank pricing table, this option would set you back approximately $11,000, at a cost of 14 cents per litre. For that same price, you could afford a steel water tank with a capacity of 110,000 litres (which has a cost of 9.5 cents per litre).
It’s fair to say that when you are looking to harvest and store rainwater in excess of 30kl, then a steel water tank will likely be the better option for you.
A feat of engineering excellence, the Pioneer V-LOCK® wall profile is designed to stand the test of time and provides superior internal support for the tank liner.
The AQUALINER Fresh® antimicrobial tank liner is designed keep your water fresher, cleaner and healthier for longer.
You will always deal directly with our Pioneer direct local dealer network, however all of our Pioneer Water Tanks are manufactured in Perth, Western Australia.
This results in prices varying from state to state due to freight costs. If your water tank is going to be installed within 100km of your local dealer, then there is no extra cost. If your installation falls outside of this range, then there is a small extra cost.
Once you have decided on what water tank size you would like, you then have the choice of what kind of finish you would like (also categorised as your colour choice). At Pioneer we only use Australian Bluescope® steel for the superior strength of our tank walls, so you have the choice of ZINCALUME® (which is a silver colour) or COLORBOND® steel. The COLORBOND® water tank finish would increase the price of your rainwater tank.
Because Pioneer Water Tanks are made from Bluescope® Steel; the prices of steel water tanks are also effected by the current price and availability of Bluescope® Steel on the Australian market. To learn more about steel price rises, and how they can effect steel water tank prices, check out Pioneer’s “Steel Prices” guide here.
Another factor that would increase the price of your water tank is adding extra fittings.
At Pioneer, your watertank is manufactured with the following standard fittings:
If you require any additional fittings or water tank accessories above those listed above, the price of your water tank may increase.
Whether your water tank is for your home farm or holiday property, it needs to be in keeping with your personal aesthetic, Pioneer Water Tanks has a range of colours and additional features to choose from.
You will need to have your site ready for your water tank installation. There may be a cost if you need to purchase the recommended clean, fine inert sand which is to be used, as well as the cost of labour if you need to hire someone to prepare the sand pad for you.
You may also incur further costs if you need to install power (you may need to invest in the services of a qualified electrician) or the services of a qualified plumber to assist with your pipework.
One other factor to consider is the location of your water tank. If you are looking to place your tank in an area that has a bit of a slope, or is next to other structures such as fencing, you may need protect your rainwater tank by building a retaining wall. If going down this path, it is recommended to utilise a limestone retaining wall due to the quality and longevity of natural limestone blocks.
In order to get an exact price for your steel rainwater tank, do yourself a favour and give us a call on 1800 953 548. We’ll take the time to get to understand your project and offer you qualified advice on the best way forward for you to achieve your desired outcomes.
Once we understand exactly what you are after, we’ll offer you a great steel water tank price in the form of a written quote which is valid for 30 days. When you are ready to proceed with ordering and delivery of your water tank, simply give us a call and we’ll look after you 100%!
