ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
The collection of rain water from building roofs is water and energy conserving.
We tend to forget how the tap water gets to us let alone the cost. Just think about it for a moment, the water we receive in a lot of areas has to be pumped into reserve tanks on a hill. It has to be treated and filtered before we use it. Just the cost of reservoir storage area, pipe maintenance and man power comes at an incredible cost.
We need to collect our roof water and store it for ourselves.
Our great grandparents and grandparents accumulated their own water when our country was first beginning to take shape. They understood how much water was available in our dry country and how to avoid running out. Today most of us have no idea how much water we use in the home or garden and how much our bio-region can supply. There are some people who collect and store clean rainwater that falls on their roof. They could introduce us to some of the best lessons in sustainable building design and lifestyles. Their homes collect rainwater and store it in all types, shapes and sizes of containers. We need to learn how to adjust our water usage and storage according to the amount of water ( rain or river ) our state receives each year.

BENEFITS OF RAINWATER
Rainwater has a far greater advantage over tap water. It is one of the purest sources of water available providing it is not influenced by where it falls from local industrial emission. Its quality nearly alway surpasses ground surface waters as it does not come in contact with soil, rocks and other ground contaminates where it dissolves salts, minerals and possible other products. River waters nowadays are becoming more and more contaminated with pollutants and need cleaning before we receive it.
Rainwater is soft so you can use less soap for cleaning, cutting down on sewer pollution.

RAINWATER TANKS
It is important to have a good filter at the inlet where the pipe joins into the tank to prevent all kinds of rubbish from the roof filling up the tank bottom. This will help cut down on the amount of times the tank needs cleaning.
Decaying leaves from certain type of trees and shrubs can make the rain water discoloured and very unpalatable to drink.

HOUSEHOLD USE
Storage tanks are mostly used for holding water for inside use of the home.
Water can be collected, stored in a large tank and with the aid of a small electric pump transfer the water to a smaller storage tank Where possible place the smaller storage tank high enough to gravity feed your water supply into the laundry and kitchen. There is nothing like having rain water directly inside the home on tap.

HOME GARDEN USE
Additional tanks should be put up to collect water from Sheds, Verandahs and Garages, so that the extra water tanks can be used for the garden. These tanks can be connected to a garden drip system which does not rely on high pressure.

HOW TO RETAIN MOISTURE IN THE SOIL

Abundance of people spend an excess amount of money and time watering their gardens.
With heavy clay soils we find that the water used has not soaked in and runs of down the road or into the next door neighbours. Sandy soil the water will tend to soak deep into the ground and far beyond the plant's root system.
Garden beds, Lawns, Wall Planter Boxes, Pots and Hanging Baskets all use up huge amounts of water and with aid of wetting agents wasteful water usage can be controlled.

SOIL WETTING AGENTS
These agents, when applied to the soil are long lasting and help the water to penetrate deeply and evenly increasing the moisture retention in the root zone, saving water by reducing the run off.

FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE Munns Weta-Lawn & Garden or Easy Wetta

For help on some reasonably hardy type plants see our fact sheets on Plants Which Use Minimum Water or Coastal and Sea Side Plants