Water Scarcity Causes Extinction of Life

Unsustainable extraction of freshwater and other human interference with the water cycle are the immediate causes of water scarcity within a river basin. Over-extraction has its most straightforward manifestation in the level of aquifers, underground reserves charged by the passage of water through soil and rocks. If withdrawals exceed the natural rate of recharge, the level of an aquifer will fall, eventually drying up altogether. In parts of India, the water table is believed to have fallen more than 300 metres.

Human intervention which degrades the quantity and quality of the natural supply of freshwater occurs in three principal ways. Undoubtedly, there are approximately 48,000 large dams in place around the world, with many more under construction. Dams alter the natural flow of a river, often improving water and energy security for some, at the expense of others.

Secondly, soil moisture is lost in land degradation that results from poor farming practices and deforestation. And thirdly, surface waters are polluted by run-off of chemicals used in farming and by untreated industrial and household wastewater in cities. This is an acute problem in less developed countries where environmental and sanitation regulations remain inadequate.

In many countries of sub-Saharan Africa, there is an additional category of “economic” water scarcity which is caused by too little human intervention. This occurs when natural supplies are sufficient to meet demand but fail to reach users due to shortcomings in distribution or storage infrastructure.

Being sustainable in water, we need to act now for water conservation. I think, dealing with rainwater conservation can help a lot in minimising the uses of potable water. Rainwater tank products are the usefull instruments in conserving water for treating rainwater. For having well manageable rainwater treatment, underground water tank can be the best design.

Looking for the Trends in Water Tanks

There are many new styles of water tanks available, with new innovations coming out all the time.  The most common types of tanks are the plastic or polymer tanks which have traditionally been round in shape.  These days, manufacturers are working with rectangular or square designs which are often much easier to place within a home and look much less intrusive.  These tanks are also available in a huge range of colours, so that they are able to suit any home colour scheme.

Steel tanks are still common, also, and these are usually lined with polyethylene in order to prevent corrosion.  While round metal water tank is still the most common shape, it seems that manufacturers are finding new ways to work with steel all the time.  Concrete water tanks are best if you need to locate your tank underground.  As they are load-bearing, they are great for placing under things such as driveways and entertaining areas.

One new innovation in water tank design is to design the tank so that it resembles a boulder or a rock.  This allows the tank to be placed unobtrusively within the landscape, so that the casual observer wouldn’t even know that it was there.  These tanks are also fantastic for environmentally sensitive areas.

In recent years, a major advancement in water tank design has been the development of the rubber water tank bladder.  The sheer flexibility of these means that they can be installed underneath a house, or even in the back of a vehicle.  Bladders are completely sealed and have an extremely high resistance to puncturing to ensure that they will not burst in the home’s sub-floor space.  Water bladders come with all of the necessary inlet and outlet valves. See more information about water tank Australia.

Water Conservation On The GO

1. Soak pots and pans instead of letting the water run while you scrape them clean.

2. Don't water your lawn on windy days when most of the water blows away or evaporates.

3. Water your plants deeply but less frequently to encourage deep root growth and drought tolerance.

4. Know where your master water shut-off valve is located. This could save water and prevent damage to your home.

5. To decrease water from being wasted on sloping lawns, apply water for five minutes and then repeat two to three times.

6. Group plants with the same watering needs together to avoid overwatering some while underwatering others.

7. Use a layer of organic material on the surface of your planting beds to minimize weed growth that competes for water.

8. Use a minimum amount of organic or slow release fertilizer to promote a healthy and drought tolerant landscape.

9. Trickling or cascading fountains lose less water to evaporation than those spraying water into the air.

10. Use a commercial car wash that recycles water.

11. Avoid recreational water toys that require a constant flow of water.

12. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth and save 25 gallons a month.

13. Use a rain gauge, or empty tuna can, to track rainfall on your lawn. Then reduce your watering accordingly.

14. Encourage your school system and local government to develop and promote water conservation among children and adults.

15. Learn how to shut off your automatic watering system in case it malfunctions or you get an unexpected rain.

16. Set a kitchen timer when watering your lawn or garden to remind you when to stop. A running hose can discharge up to 10 gallons a minute.

17. If your toilet flapper doesn't close after flushing, replace it.



18. Make sure there are water-saving aerators on all of your faucets.

For more info, you can visit rainwater tank australia for you to find more products of rainwater tanks that can serve as tools for water conservation.

Rainwater Harvesting for a Sustainable Home

At Septic Tank Supplies we have vast experience working toward the code of sustainable homes with rainwater harvesting for inside and outside applications.In order to achieve 5 credits in the code for what the code calls “Wat 1” , then rainwater recycling will be required in practice. Even for lower code levels, a rainwater recycling system used for flushing WCs etc can be specified in order to allow higher flow rates on taps etc, which might otherwise have to be reduced in order to satisfy the code and so this can be a means of balancing your preferences against increased capital cost and maintenance requirements of the code.

At Septic Tank Supplies we understand that water is a big environmental issue – droughts, reservoirs and rivers at low levels and hose pipe bans. So in a nutshell the aim of the code when it comes to water is to reduce the consumption of potable mains water in the home, and of course water recycling systems are a great way to achieve this. Rainwater tank will surely help you in conserving water. Just like a certain underground rainwater tank can supply water for cleaning the toilet or flushing the toilet.

Get Benefited With Rainwater Tanks

In the past, rainwater tanks were a common feature of the Australian landscape, but they’ve almost disappeared from our cities now. The majority of Australian households get their water from a reticulated supply. In the 1990s, 16% of households used a rainwater tank and for 13% it was their main source of drinking water.

In recent years, however, the long-lasting drought in many parts of the country and widespread water restrictions have drawn attention to water conservation issues and put rainwater tanks right back onto urban agendas. Many local councils, water suppliers and state governments have been encouraging residents to install a rainwater tank, usually with the offer of a rebate.

The potential benefits of installing a rainwater tank are plentiful, and you don’t need to live in a wet or tropical area to reap them. South Australia, the country’s driest state, has the highest rate of rainwater tank usage. More than half the households there have one, and for more than a third it’s their main source of drinking water., With a rainwater tank products, you’ll:
1. Collect most of the rain (around 80%) that falls onto the areas of your roof you have connected to gutters and downpipes into your tank. For example, if 10 mm of rain falls on to 100 m2 of roof you’ll ‘harvest’ about 800 L of rainwater. That’s about as much as an average Sydney household of three would use in a day if they made no efforts to save water. If they did, they’d get their consumption down to around 500–600 L a day.

2. Reduce your consumption of mains water and, in the long term, cut your water bill. Your water supplier may be able to give you an indication of the savings you can expect.

3. Lower your impact on the environment by reducing your demand on mains water as well as the amount of stormwater runoff into rivers and oceans.

4. ‘Harvest’ water that tastes better and is generally less salty, which is better for appliances and plants.

Water Conservation for your Home

Do you still use clean, drinking water to water your garden and wash your car? I can’t face the thought of using clean water for these things so have been checking out various options to see which make the most sense for my house. I’ve found a wide range of options suiting all pockets and requirements. Read on for a quick summary.

Bells and whistles rainwater collection tank

The most elaborate and most expensive setup involves connecting all your rooftop gutters to one single point to feed a large tank, normally about 5000lt. It often involves a pump connected to an irrigation system, and is most suitable for large gardens that require a lot of water. I find these large tanks quite an eyesore, but you can always bury them, or wrap with chicken mesh and grow some creepers around it.  You could also install automated float systems that  top your tank up with municipal water when needed.

Gutter collection system

If option 1 is a little extreme for you, the simplest thing is to place a small tank at the base of one gutter, preferably one that discharges the largest volume of water. An easy way to test which gutter collects the most rainwater  is to put similar size containers under each gutter when it’s raining and see which one fills up first. The nice thing about this is that the “tank” can be anything, from a wheelie bin to an old geyser. Rain water being piped directly into the pool

Tankstar rainwater collection tank

The most elaborate and most expensive setup involves connecting all your rooftop gutters to one single point to feed a large tank. It often involves a pump connected to an irrigation system, and is most suitable for large gardens that require a lot of water. I find these large tanks quite an eyesore, but you can always bury them, or wrap with chicken mesh and grow some creepers around it.  You could also install automated float systems that  top your tank up with municipal water when needed.

Pumping through rainwater outlet

The final feasible option I’ve found is to collect water at your house’s storm water outlet and pump this into a tank from there. This option is the most unusual of the lot but quite innovative. You have a much larger surface area to collect water from than just your roof but then of course potential for contamination is higher. Unlike the other two options, this one might be a little more difficult to install and maintain, but you manage to collect a lot more water. Obviously filters are available, and recommended if you are collecting from a particularly dirty collection area, or if you are watering plants you plan on eating.

Household water reusing

There are many ways to reuse the water you use in your kitchen and bathroom – this water is known as grey water. You can install a grey water system which collects household water in a tank and pumps it into your garden. A simpler, less expensive way is to keep a bucket in the shower to catch the water while you wait for it to heat up – you can use this water in your garden, or to flush the toilet. Keep a tub in the sink to catch water used for washing vegetables to water your pot plants. Use a bucket to scoop out your bathwater and use it in the garden.

I urge you to considerer creating at least a small rain water collection system at your house. Using clean drinking water to water your grass, wash your car and fill your pool is a little silly I think, and a habit we should all try break. Need I even mention how much coal based electricity is going in to treating and distributing this water?  Rainwater is clean and free, use it!

For more ideas on how to make savings at home try using rainwater tanks of tankstar. For water savings at work, try the tankstar raiwater products and services.