Rainwater tanks are often used by private individuals in garden centres or agriculture. The tanks fill with rainwater, helping with irrigation during dry periods. What’s more, rainwater tanks save you having to use water from the tap.

Advantages of rainwater storage

Rainwater is highly suitable for irrigating fields and gardens. It can also be used as drinking water for animals after being treated.

The size of a rainwater tank varies according to its usage. Private households usually have a water butt, which is often made of plastic. A typical household water butt can catch 100 to 550 litres of water, depending on its size.

If a bigger tank is needed, IB containers (intermediate bulk containers) are often used. These tanks are also partly made of plastic, but are more cuboid and less cylindrical in shape. This allows them to be easily stacked and transported.

Catching rainwater
Rainwater is usually caught by gutters and then guided into the tank via pipes. It’s important that before the water flows into the tank a sieve is used to stop sources of contamination like leaves, branches and even animals from entering the tank, which would seriously contaminate the water in the long run. The sieve and the pipes should be cleaned regularly, as too much dirt can cause a blockage.

Storage
Rainwater tanks don’t need to fulfil any requirements since they don’t hold any toxic or hazardous substances. However, it should be ensured that the tank is secure and protected against other influences when setting it up.

Using rainwater tanks as water storage

In agriculture, rainwater tanks are often used to store water for dry periods. However, such tanks can also serve as storage for fire-fighting water. Such tanks have an important place in daily life, particularly in dryer parts of the world.