12:00a.m. 17th November 2007

| By Sharon Luck

Tony Pignata pours some water in a bucket from his tank with his children Ethan, Haylee and Tahnee. Photo: Nicholas Falconer / 170443

Running through a sprinkler on a hot day. It’s an image as Australian as bindiis piercing your feet or a feasting of juicy slices of watermelon, but it’s safe to say that such a sight is now no more than a distant memory.

A combination of water restriction and a public awareness have forever changed the way we use (and waste) water.

The great majority of householders are more conscious of their water usage, with most of us implementing a variety of water saving habits.

And in a return to the ‘good old days” plenty of householders have installed rain water tanks to collect the now precious rain that falls on their property.

Among them is the Pignata family at Mooloolah. Tony Pignata said he has recently installed two five thousand gallon tanks from Tanksdirect which are manufactured locally at Yandina.

“We had tanks as kids and I decided that the only way water prices were going was up.

“So we installed the tanks and we love the taste of the water. It’s better quality water and it tastes great,” he said.

Tony is one of the three million Australians who has installed a rain water tank but our renewed interest in storing water has given rise to a number of questions about the safety of tank water for drinking purposes.

While many householders have installed a tank for garden and other outdoor use it’s a real concern that must be addressed.

According to Gareth Horton, director of Rain Harvesting, a company that specialises in rainwater products, the claims are alarmist and he insists that rain water is safe to drink as long as it is harvested correctly.

“Not only is it safe, but rainwater needs to be recognised as a viable alternative water supply and should be embraced as part of an overall solution to preserve our precious water,” he said.

He does admit that it is of concern that some homeowners don’t realise that installing the tank itself is only half the job.

A complete rain harvesting system must be installed to ensure access to a safe and sustainable  water supply.

Rain heads and first flush diverters are absolutely essential.

“These form part of a rain harvesting system that as a consequence will capture water that is of significantly better quality”, Mr Horton said.

Mr Pignata agrees. He is very aware that to ensure the quality of his water supply he had to install first flush diverters and rain heads.

“It does require some attention to the detail but we enjoy the taste of the water so it’s worth it,” he said.

A recent study of rainwater collected from homes showed that 40 percent reported faecal contamination, and that simple steps such as installing downpipe debris screens and a first flush diverter would reduce the risk of contracting waterborne diseases.

First flush diverters allow the first rain captured by the roof to wash away any sediment of debris and stop this water being captured in the tank. A screened rain head ensures that leaves are deflected away from the flow of water, keep mosquitoes and vermin out of the pipe system and ensure the water doesn’t collect in the gutters.

Mr Horton said the use of rain harvesting products was accepted as best industry practice and accepted in a range of council regulations however each council’s rebate conditions are different so contact your council to find out what you can claim a rebate for.

But if you are just after a small tank to collect rainwater for your garden or lawn there are a growing number of options. One of them is the new maze minitank from Bunnings.

“The new minitanks are smaller and more lightweight than traditional water tanks, making it easy for almost any household to store and recycle rainwater,” said Cameron Rae from Bunnings.

With prices starting from just $89 (stand and diverter additional), rainwater storage has never been more affordable. The minitank diverter is easily attached to a downpipe.

The compact size makes the minitanks ideal to fit into smaller gardens or spaces with awkward dimensions.