Water Tanks - Are they needed

[BenQld]

Hello

My sister has a house that has been recently built (built 2yrs ago). And she has a slimline water tank on the side of her house and this tank even though its a slimline blocks the access down the side of the house.

Now that her house has passed all its approvals. Is there anything stopping her from just removing the tank, selling it on ebay and then just connecting mains water to the outlet of the pump? ie short circuiting the tank. As whenever the tank drops low it uses mains water anyways.

Does anyone know if there is any laws against this, or if she was to sell the house would this affect anything ?

Thanks

Ben

 

[The Fence]

Water tanks are needed to save water.
Water is sacred and scarce in this country..that's why councils require you to save water in tanks...to save the mains water from running out. One day it will and your sister will have no backup water.

I'd say it's illegal to remove the tank and that down the track the property may not comply in order to sell. Best to check with the council though.

 

[RumpledElf]

Heh, this is a good argument for bigger blocks.

I've seen so many access issues down that 1m wide strip all the new houses have ... things like pipes and the HWS are enough to stop a decent size wheelbarrow getting through.

Tanks are a PITA, we're getting one that is over 3m diameter and the bank has withheld money from us to make sure we buy it and get it plumbed in, since our builder doesn't provide it as part of the package. I wouldn't be removing that tank, the laws are getting greener and greener and she might be forced to get a new tank if she ever wants to sell.

 

[fernfurn]

Our approval was for a water tank, then the drought broke. We rang the inspector and asked if we could substitute it for a solar hws panel (new house builds you can chooses either. He said not a problem. We too have a space problem and with the rebate it will only cost us about $1200 for the panel, we save on electricity, we get the space. Will worry about water shortages when they happen again.

 

[rugrat]

depends where you live.

 

[arms]

Our approval was for a water tank, then the drought broke. We rang the inspector and asked if we could substitute it for a solar hws panel (new house builds you can chooses either. He said not a problem. We too have a space problem and with the rebate it will only cost us about $1200 for the panel, we save on electricity, we get the space. Will worry about water shortages when they happen again.

actually it comes down to a certain green accreditation for new homes .you can chop and change any of the requirements to suit yourself as long as at the end the current requirements are fulfilled under the legistration

 

[RumpledElf]

depends where you live.

Compulsary on new builds in SA. As well as a bunch of other stuff that adds to the price of a new house, with the 6 star energy rating legislation.

 

[brendio]

Compulsary on new builds in SA. As well as a bunch of other stuff that adds to the price of a new house, with the 6 star energy rating legislation.

At risk of taking the discussion off-topic, I wonder about the economic, and possibly also environmental impact, of the extra electricity consumed by the pump on the water tank. Yes, you save water, but the pump will put up your electricity bill (and probably be power by coal-fired power). I have not done the calculations, but I would think the water saved would be less expensive than the power consumed by the pump. I would also think that capturing, treating and supplying water on a town scale would be less carbon-intensive per litre than pumping rain water on a small scale with coal-based power. (Our pump continues running for about 20 seconds after you have stopped using the tap.)

 

[asdf]

I've heard for NSW when you go for a general DA to add an extension for example, council can request that you put in a brand new water tank on an older home. Is there trus, for those with experience on the area. Thanks guys

 

[Pa1nter]

I work on a lot of new homes and yes technically you can do what you like as long as you have your final certificates

I have seen it a lot where people have a water barrier for their septic final and once they move in it ,they get moved.
Tanks would be no difference,

Just make sure you have all your certificates

 

[RumpledElf]

At risk of taking the discussion off-topic, I wonder about the economic, and possibly also environmental impact, of the extra electricity consumed by the pump on the water tank. Yes, you save water, but the pump will put up your electricity bill (and probably be power by coal-fired power). I have not done the calculations, but I would think the water saved would be less expensive than the power consumed by the pump.

We used to live somewhere without town water. With $5000 worth of rainwater tanks, a $500 pump and thus no water if the power went out, we conserved water like crazy because it cost $50 to get 2000L of filthy untreated water trucked in if you ran out.

Then we moved somewhere with town water, conserved till we got the first bill, and then went OMG! Water is so unbelievably CHEAP!!! And now we have baths every day (toddler/baby) and don't really stint, water is still our cheapest bill @ $45 a quarter. Just the water company helpfully tells us we use water like a family of 4 with no backyard, compared to 2 people with no yard when we moved in.

Electricity is the one we actively try and conserve and it still ends up in the $500-900 range each quarter, higher each time.

 

[BenQld]

Thanks, I will see if I can meet the criteria any other way other than having a water tank. As its on a thin lot (10m frontage) so having a water tank basically stops access to the backyard.

Ben