Water Tanks In Brisbane and Queensland
Even though Brisbane and the Gold Coast get the most rain of all the capital cities water conservation is still an important issue. We all know water tanks are one of the best ways to save water but they have other benefits too. The Brisbane council (and all councils for that matter) encourage water tanks to help reduce the amount of stormwater run- off. With so many hard surfaces found in cities these days the stormwater can't get absorbed into the ground so easily. The run- off can case erosion problems and also wash rubbish, chemicals and other pollutants into local creeks and ponds. Installing a tank can help retain stormwater on your property and reduce stormwater problems.
The Brisbane council does NOT recommend using the water from water tanks for drinking, cooking or other potable purposes due to the fact the the quality of water can vary greatly and can have potential health hazards. If certain precautions and maintenance is done then there should be no problem drinking the water however it is done so at your own risk. In any case, potable water accounts for only a small percent of the water you use so if in doubt, stick with the mains and use you tank for the garden, toilet and bathrooms.
When deciding how much water you need to store in your tank you need to consider the climate and rainfall. Brisbane and all of the Queensland's East coast get good rainfall all year round. This is good news because it means you don't need to account for long periods without rain. Our water tank design guide has more information about rainfall and calculating how much water you use so you can decide how many Supertanks you need.
The council offers some good rebates for water tanks. They offer $900 for 3000- 4999 litres and $1150 for over 5000 L. (12 Supertanks) Both rebates require the tanks to be plumbed into your house for internal use. The Brisbane council has several other rebates available and they may change from time to time so check the Brisbane Council website for more information about water tanks and rebates.
The Queensland Government also offers rebates under the Home and Garden WaterWise Rebate Scheme. The offer up to $1000 towards water tanks, pumps, diverters and other direct costs of installing a tank. Please see the Queensland Government website for more information on rainwater tanks and water rebate schemes.
This rebate does NOT apply to new homes which require mandatory water saving targets as these homes typically have water tanks installed already and the developer may offer incentives directly to help cover the additional costs.
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