Uses for rainwater from rain water tanks

Rainwater harvesting in its simplest form comprises of a downspout from a roof gutter that directs rainwater into a rain barrel or water tank.  Rainwater from rain water tanks can be used for most domestic purposes including for drinking, if properly purified/filtered.

Rainwater is not only great for irrigation, it can be uses for other purposes too.

Rainwater from your rain water tanks can be used for the following:

• Garden irrigation It has been proven that rainwater is superior to chemical-laden municipal water when it comes to water for plants.  Plants have been shown to be more healthy and vigorous when irrigated with rainwater.  Often it is possible to make use of gravity from a rain barrel or rain water tank to irrigate the lawn and garden below the water tank.
• Filling the swimming pool Filling a large swimming pool with municipal water will quickly run up the water bill, not to mention being frowned upon in towns and cities where water restrictions are common.  Rainwater collected in rain water tanks can be used to fill a swimming pool at no cost and with a clear conscience! A single rain event can fill large water tanks in minutes, depending on roof area.
• Washing the car You can use rainwater from your rain water tanks to wash your vehicles to your heart’s content, without worrying about water bills or breaking water restriction laws.  Wash your car on your lawn to reduce irrigation requirements too.
• Top up the fish pond Rainwater is naturally ‘soft’ and free of chemicals so it will be safe to use in fish ponds or aquariums.  Municipal water often contains chlorine which, even in trace amounts, can kill aquatic organisms.
• Use rainwater for showering/bathing  Rainwater lathers and cleans much better than ‘hard’ municipal water (some groundwater/borehole water is also ‘hard’- full of sometimes undesirable minerals and chemicals).  Anyone who has bathed in rainwater from rain water tanks will know the difference, especially for washing hair.
• Fill up toilet cisterns Use rainwater to fill up toilet cisterns to save hundreds of litres of water and reduce your water bill too.
• Use rainwater for drinking Rainwater is naturally pure and very healthy to drink provided that it is filtered.  Although clean and pure before reaching your rooftop, it is possible that the rainwater could pick up impurities and pathogens from you roof’s surface and gutters.  Filter the water as it comes from your rain water tank or install a small filter at a drinking water tap if the rainwater from the rain tanks integrates with your Mains supply.

So rainwater can be used in place of other ‘normal’ water sources and it saves on water bills.  Local water restrictions can be ignored if you have harvested and collected the rainwater in water tanks but it should still be used efficiently!  It is also important to consider the type and brand of water tanks as inferior tanks may leach harmful chemicals into the stored rainwater and will not last very long.

We recommend JoJo Tanks (South Africa) as they are tested and approved. They do not only carry a 5-year guarantee; they have also been award­ed the coveted Agre’ment Board of South Africa’s certification for both vertical and horizontal tanks. The Agrément certification (JoJo Tanks 2011/385) is the official endorsement of the technical merits of JoJo Tanks’ products. JoJo Tanks also complies with the Food & Drug Administration specifications. That’s why, when you buy a tank, be sure it says JoJo on the outside – if it doesn’t, it’s not a quality guaranteed JoJo tank.  Click on the links below to view the wide range of JoJo water tanks and other quality JoJo Tanks products.