Emergency water tanks - self replenishing?

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mdf

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# 205613 19-Nov-2016 15:05

The earthquakes have reminded me to add in some additional emergency water stockpiles (we've got some, I just want more).

At our old place I installed a 200L Tank Guy water tank that filled via a diverter from a downspout. This was really good, but it did mean that you were supposed to periodically empty and refill the tank to flush through the water. Of course I did this regularly. #yeahright

We'll be in our current place for a good long while and so am happy to spend a bit more money to do it right. Are there water tanks that self replenish? i.e. older water is cycled out as new water is added? What is the correct word(s) for this so I can google options?

I am also thinking about adding a first flush diverter and some kind of leaf shield. Can I do this myself (legally) or are there rules about using plumbers?

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# 1674217 19-Nov-2016 15:36

I think having one of those tanks and their spout kits is a good idea, but the water off my roof is pretty horrible. Bird droppings, fireplace ash, soil, seeds, etc. I have one, but it's just in the shed, not connected, but I can connect it pretty easily if required. If you want to treat that water you'll probably want to filter it and use water purification tablets, then you're just drinking sterilized bird droppings.

I would rather have simple sealed tanks that I fill from a drinking water grade house (sold by bunnings by the meter or on trademe) and refresh them every six months. I found 200L tanks online for $65 (he sells cheaper on trademe), a few of them and you're good for a while.

Aredwood

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# 1674218 19-Nov-2016 15:39

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I have setup my hot water cylinder, and the cylinders at a couple of friends houses. So you can easily drain the water from them if needed. This means you have a tank that is always full, and the water gets turned over with fresh water whenever you turn on a hot tap.

timmmay

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# 1674219 19-Nov-2016 15:40

Aredwood:

I have setup my hot water cylinder, and the cylinders at a couple of friends houses. So you can easily drain the water from them if needed. This means you have a tank that is always full, and the water gets turned over with fresh water whenever you turn on a hot tap.

I can easily drain the hot water from my cylinder too - I use a tap ;)

mdf

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# 1674221 19-Nov-2016 15:50

timmmay:

I think having one of those tanks and their spout kits is a good idea, but the water off my roof is pretty horrible. Bird droppings, fireplace ash, soil, seeds, etc. I have one, but it's just in the shed, not connected, but I can connect it pretty easily if required. If you want to treat that water you'll probably want to filter it and use water purification tablets, then you're just drinking sterilized bird droppings.

I would rather have simple sealed tanks that I fill from a drinking water grade house (sold by bunnings by the meter or on trademe) and refresh them every six months. I found 200L tanks online for $65 (he sells cheaper on trademe), a few of them and you're good for a while.

You're way more disciplined than me. Knowing myself, there's no way I would actually get around to changing the water every six months. I've got the advantage that the section of roof I'd want to tap into seems really clean. Salt might be a bit of an issue (we're coastal) but I'm aiming to deal with that via the diverter.

As a follow up query, the spot I've identified for the barrel gets loads of sun. All the tanks I've seen are UV stabilised, but I was thinking I might paint it as well (extra WAF if it blends in to the house). Any concerns about doing that? I know we've just had some of the yellow gas pipe installed and was told to paint that even though it was notionally UV stabilised.

mdf

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# 1674222 19-Nov-2016 15:53

Aredwood:

I have setup my hot water cylinder, and the cylinders at a couple of friends houses. So you can easily drain the water from them if needed. This means you have a tank that is always full, and the water gets turned over with fresh water whenever you turn on a hot tap.

Great idea. But we've got an infinity hot water system so no tank. Another reason why I feel like I should get on to additional tanks.

timmmay

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# 1674224 19-Nov-2016 16:12

mdf:

You're way more disciplined than me. Knowing myself, there's no way I would actually get around to changing the water every six months. I've got the advantage that the section of roof I'd want to tap into seems really clean. Salt might be a bit of an issue (we're coastal) but I'm aiming to deal with that via the diverter.

As a follow up query, the spot I've identified for the barrel gets loads of sun. All the tanks I've seen are UV stabilised, but I was thinking I might paint it as well (extra WAF if it blends in to the house). Any concerns about doing that? I know we've just had some of the yellow gas pipe installed and was told to paint that even though it was notionally UV stabilised.

I have a reminder in my calendar to change the water in my containers annually I think, I don't think every six months is required. Takes a few hours for the containers, but if I just had a couple of big 200L containers it'd be much easier.

You can paint plastic, but you may need a special primer. I remember buying some of it to paint a heat pump conduit but then never getting around to it.

Sidestep

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# 1674252 19-Nov-2016 17:45

We use leafslides, first flush diverters and a settling tank in our system.

Our rainwater tanks 'replenish' by having the overflow feed from the bottom, and by rotating tanks.

If there's been no rain for a long time the first new flow triggers a sterilant (a capful of bleach will do) from the feed end.

The majority of our tanks are concrete, in our sampling we've found algal/bacterial count lower in them than the plastic ones.
I assume because there's a small temperature difference (plastic tanks= warmer water)

We use ozone, entrained by a venturi in a circulation pump loop to sterilise any that are getting 'old'.

No plumber required for any of this as far as I know.

Edit:clarity

SepticSceptic

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# 1674805 21-Nov-2016 10:21

Use some Pour N Go for treating water.

I use it for my main household water tanks, and I see that there is a smaller "On The go" bottle.

http://www.pourngo.co.nz/

Water treatment system for large water tanks

My thoughts are no longer my own and is probably representative of our media-controlled government

jnimmo

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# 1674821 21-Nov-2016 10:32

I thought about this a few years ago, wondered whether one could setup garden hose to a sealed tank, and then use the garden hose from the other side of the tank- so whenever you use the hose it will refresh water in the tank?

You'd want a backflow preventer on the hose side though to ensure no water from the hose would go back into tank

MikeAqua

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# 1674854 21-Nov-2016 10:53

You can set up your tank so that it is always filling and overflows into the storm water. That is how most rainwater tanks are set up, plus all the equipment sidestep refers to. Just be aware systems that work on a 20k tank don't always work on 200L tank.

We just have bunch of 20L water cans and steri-tablets. 10 cans would be equivalent to a 200L tanks and cost maybe $10 when refilled from town supply.

Mike

jonathan18

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# 1674855 21-Nov-2016 10:58

timmmay:

I would rather have simple sealed tanks that I fill from a drinking water grade house (sold by bunnings by the meter or on trademe) and refresh them every six months. I found 200L tanks online for $65 (he sells cheaper on trademe), a few of them and you're good for a while.

Thanks for this information, Tim - post-earthquake I'm realising now the need for additional water storage, given we no longer have a hot water cylinder having had an Infinity system installed last month!

I've emailed that guy to get an idea of the cost of delivery of one of those tanks, but I'd imagine this won't be cheap to the NI (given he's in Chch), especially post-quake. (BTW, his TM prices are the same as online, by the look of it; he's only got a tap-less barrel listed on TM at the moment, for the same $45 as on his website.)

Does anyone know a source of well-priced similar products (c. 200 litre drinking water barrels or storage) in the North Island?

And, as for the hose, is it critical to purchase a drinking water-certified hose? I'm realising that where we'd want to store the barrel's a good distance from the tap, so a long hose would be on the cards. What about purchasing a new but standard hose, and using it solely for this purpose?

timmmay

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# 1674867 21-Nov-2016 11:12

Let us know what you find, I might buy a couple more. Not sure a drinking water hose is essential, it just tastes a little better, but the barrel will taste like plastic and the water will need to be treated anyway.

jonathan18

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# 1674871 21-Nov-2016 11:16

MikeAqua:

We just have bunch of 20L water cans and steri-tablets. 10 cans would be equivalent to a 200L tanks and cost maybe $10 when refilled from town supply.

I've been thinking of the relative merits of smaller containers versus a large barrels/tanks - buying lots of 20l water cans isn't cheap (a minimum of $200 for 10?), but at least these can be easily filled closer to the tap, and moved as required. It also allows them to be stored in different places, thereby hopefully increasing the chances of some surviving any damage from a quake. None of this applies to a single barrel. (If I do go with the barrel, I'll store our current 20 litre containers somewhere else.)

Can anyone advise where to find well-priced 20-30 litre water containers in the lower North Island? Ta...

Bung

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# 1674874 21-Nov-2016 11:20

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timmmay: I can easily drain the hot water from my cylinder too - I use a tap ;)

Your tap being the normal one connected to outlet at the top of the tank? Tthat works if you have either a header tank or mains pressure to push the water through. Can you easily drain water from the bottom of the HWC?

timmmay

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# 1674880 21-Nov-2016 11:23

Bung:
timmmay: I can easily drain the hot water from my cylinder too - I use a tap ;)

Your tap being the normal one connected to outlet at the top of the tank? Tthat works if you have either a header tank or mains pressure to push the water through. Can you easily drain water from the bottom of the HWC?

I have taps in my kitchen, bathroom, and laundry. They're how I get hot water. The cylinder is in the ceiling, I don't know if there's any direct or local access to the water - I just use a tap in the house.

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