Rainwater tanks come in many sizes, shapes and materials. Choice of material is influenced by budget, required size, site located and intended lifespan.
Water tank materials consists of :
- Concrete – Typically formed in 10,000g/45,000L and 20,000g/90,000L poured on-site. Also available delivered to site by a selected few companies. It is considered to be the most durable option.
- Poly (polyethylene) – plastic tanks, which conform with food-grade standard of plastics. These tanks are typically the most economical option, easy to install and durable. They are available in a range of shapes, sizes and colours.
- Tip: Keep the sunlight from entering the manhole and attach a flexible hose at the outlet.
- Gavalized steel – they consist of a food-grade rust-resistant polymer coating (aquaplate) to ensure the tank is durable.
- Stainless steel – not as common and more expensive than other types of steel tanks, but much longer lasting, more environmentally friendly (fully recyclable) and virtually no risk of toxicity. This is because stainless steel tanks don’t require the rust resistant polymer (aquaplate) lining.
- Fibreglass -one advantage of fibreglass is that it is very stiff or rigid. This means that tank walls can be relatively thin to manage the water pressure.
- Tip: try and keep the sun off to manage deterioration of the fibreglass.
Choosing the right material of tank is an important and very personal consideration as each has their own unique set of pros and cons.