Water tanks are an important part of the way of life of many Australians, but this can take many forms.
From suburban families storing water to supplement mains water to water the gardens or use the washing machine, to semi-rural families looking to stop relying on mains water for their household.
From city residents looking to find a compact water tank for their smaller block, to rural farmers relying on water to live and keep their plantations or livestock alive.
Water storage encompasses such a wide range of people, and specific water storage solutions are more suitable to different situations and water usage.
So what types of rainwater tanks are there, and which one would be best for you? Should you get an above ground water tank or a below ground tank?
There are a few varieties of plastic tank, including those made from fibreglass, polyethylene or “poly,” and plastic bladder tanks.
These all have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Poly tanks or polyethylene tanks are the most common plastic tanks that you see, and are lightweight, prefabricated and easy to install. Polyethylene is a food grade plastic, which means your water tank won’t require a plastic liner if used for drinking water. This plastic is also cheaper to produce than many other water tank material, making typically making a poly tank more affordable.
Being a versatile plastic product, poly water tanks can be produced in different shapes and sizes, the most common of which being the slimline water tank, round poly water tank and round squat water tank.
A slimline tank is designed to fit in places that have limited footprint availability, like down the side of a home, or behind a shed. These slimline tanks are typically smaller, and good for gardens and laundry, or supplementing a larger water tank.
Squat poly water tanks are shorter than your typical water tank, usually shorter than the average person, allowing it to fit on a stand or under an eve without taking up too much space.
Round poly rainwater tanks are for larger storage, supplying part or all of a home’s water storage requirements. These tanks come in sizes up to 50,000 Litres, and many homes may require multiple tanks to meet all of their water storage needs.
There are also variants of poly underground tank that save space by being installed underground or under decking. An underground water tank, while convenient in terms of space, can be difficult to access if maintenance is required.
Fiberglass tanks are more often used in industrial settings than residential ones, and have to be manufactured with a food grade coating before they can be offered for sale.
Fibreglass is very stiff and rigid, which means the walls of a fibreglass tank can be relatively thin to manage water pressure, but the downside of this is that these tanks are very brittle in nature, being prone to cracking and leaking.
Bladder tanks are a less common, but very innovative plastic water tank. A bladder tank typically consists of a plastic bladder, somewhat like a tank liner, with a steel frame around the outside to hold the bladder in place as it fills and empties of rainwater.
These water storage tanks are typically kept under decking or similar areas where there is limited space, and capture rainwater through a series of pipes.
Plastic water tanks are ideal for people who don’t need a large amount of water storage, and are typically more affordable in these situations.
However when the water storage begins to exceed 50,000 Litres, steel rainwater tanks are typically more affordable than a polyethylene tank per litre.
Poly tanks also perform poorly in bushfire situations compared with steel or concrete tanks, with the tank melting, and the water inside evacuating quickly.
Since 1988, Pioneer Water Tanks has supplied Australians with water tanks for domestic, farming, fire fighting and industrial applications.
Australians have been using steel water tanks for decades, and thanks to modern innovation and advances in technology, the steel tank continues to go from strength to strength.
Issues steel water tanks previously had with corrosion and tank roofs have been addressed with changes to the product over time, with liners and modular designs revolutionising the product.
One of the key advantages of a steel water tank is their strength, with many steel water tanks having survived fire fronts, and providing key assistance in firefighting efforts all across Australia.
Found on most rural properties across Australia, steel rainwater tanks consist of external panels bolted together, with a tank liner inside protecting the steel tank walls from the water. This tank liner is made from a food safe plastic, or in Pioneer Water Tanks’ case, an antimicrobial polyethylene film inside the liner, which helps keep drinking water fresher for longer.
This plastic lining is one of the most important parts of a steel tank, and is why most steel water tank manufacturers recommend never entering your water tank, or attempting to clean it without the assistance of an expert.
These steel tanks also typically come installed with a sacrificial anode, which protects the steel in the tank walls from corrosion. Once made of galvanised steel, liner water tanks are typically constructed of Zincalume® or Colorbond® steel, which are metal alloys stronger and more corrosion resistant than the traditional galvanised tank.
These steel tanks can also come installed with a roof catchment or gutter system, in order to increase your rainwater harvesting capacity.
Water Tanks made from stainless steel do not have the drawbacks of corrosion like other metal tank systems do, and do not require a tank liner. However a plastic lining or seam is still required where the sheets are joined.
Stainless steel tanks are, however significantly more expensive than other water tank materials, and a stainless steel water tank is typically not required when steel tanks with a liner, or glass reinforced plastic tanks can do a similar job much more affordably.
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.
The concrete water tank is, as the name may suggest, the most heavy-duty of the water tank options, and with the advent of modern plastic and steel tanks, the concrete tank has gone slightly out of vogue.
The weight of concrete tanks makes them difficult to transport, and they require flushing and sealing before use for drinking water, as their construction can increase the pH of water. If a concrete tank cracks or leaks, the tank must be drained completely before repairing.
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.
There is no definitive answer as to which water storage tank or water supply system is best, as your rainwater harvesting system needs to be fit to your needs and available space.
Where space and money is limited, you would be looking at a poly rain water tank, or a bladder water storage tank. If you need a rain water tank that is going to survive impact damage and fire, you may lean toward concrete. If you’re looking to supply drinking water or potable water storage to your home, you would most likely be leaning toward a steel rainwater tank.
If you are looking to pump water from a dam or creek into your tank and are not looking for potable water storage, you’ll be less likely to be concerned about the tank liner or cleanliness of your water storage.
The typical poly rain water tank can be expected to provide an effective water storage solution for up to 20 years, in some cases even longer. Due to the nature of the plastic, the quality of a poly round tank will depend on the conditions it is kept in, and how it is looked after.
Even steel tanks only come with a warranty of 20 years, but in many circumstances provide adequate rain water supply for upward of 30 years.
There is no universal best colour for a rainwater tank, with the steel round water tank being available in a range of Colorbond® colours, as well as the traditional silver Zincalume® finish.
For a fibreglass water storage tank, if it is going to be used for drinking water supply, the exterior should be coated in a dark paint, to protect the water from algae growth.
When it comes to residential or rural storage of rainwater, a stainless steel round tank would almost definitely be overkill price wise, whereas a plastic water tank will only be viable up to a certain litre amount. In place of a stainless steel water storage tank, you may do better to consider a steel liner tank for your potable water storage.
A steel round water tank is available from Pioneer Water Tanks in sizes from a 12,000 litre rainwater tank up to a 500,000 litre rainwater tank. Call us today to learn more.
Choosing a water tank can be an exhausting process, with so many options on the market today. You have to consider where you are going to pump the water from or pump the water to, or if you are going to collect rainwater from a roof catchment system, and then what material you are going too have it manufactured from.
If you want to simplify the process, simply call Pioneer Water Tanks today on 1800 344 130 and speak to one of our experts.
People in rural Australia have been drinking water from rainwater tanks for decades, and it remains one of the most common sources of potable water. If you live in an urban or particularly polluted area however, it would be best to see local government guidelines in regards to the safety of drinking water.
If you are looking to pump water into a round tank, with no intention of using it for potable water storage, the only thing to consider would be keeping it free from algae and mosquitoes.
So long as there is water entering and exiting the tank, and combined with the Pioneer Aqualiner Fresh® Antimicrobial Water Tank Liner, there is no expiry date on the water stored in your water tank.
As long as you are inspecting that water tank every three months, and keeping all gutters clear of contaminants, your water should remain safe to drink.
