"gardenlen" wrote in message
...
g'day liz,

once the tank is delivered and sited where you want it and the company
delivering it has installed the flow valve where you want it then
there after it is easier than cooking a cake to run the roof water
into it, like has been said there might be some consideration of where
downpipes are but most gable typ home have at least 4 , but running
downpipe shouldn't be too big a concern.

then of course the overflow pipe from the tank need to be connected
back the the storm water system usually where you cut into that system
to install the tank.

fitting a pump and a tap is just as DIY as the above, just need a
power point near by.

at present if you are going to get a company to install it for you
(not sure where you are?) there ae some rip off deals going around
esecially up here. and another if you realy want to get more water
efficient and get value for money from your tank then consider how
much water you want to provide and then calculate how often it would
ahve to rain to keep that tank at a level that will provide for your
needs. also ring around the rural tank makers they often can do a
beter deal than the local guy who seems to run on he's got a monopoly
principal.

generally i recomment 14,500 litre (3,200 imp/gal) tans as the minimum
for most households. someone with a reasonable amount of garden could
use 700 to 1000 litres of water a week or fortnight depending on how
often the need to water is.

currently in our home we are going through app' 25 litres of water a
week about 6 litres of that for the kettle and the rest for drinking.

we have just had delivered a 24,500 litre (5,400 imp.gal) tanks
delivered which i am in the process of running 2 downpipes to and then
i'll fit the pump and tap, no hurry there can't use any of the water
until it rains enough to put enough in there.

but we reckon for drinking and cooking and water the plants when
necessary (we use all our grey water on our gardens ie.,. dishwashing,
shower/bath, laundry & collected wee water, have done for over a
decade with nil ill effects on gardens plants or us, then we think we
have a fair bit of common sense and only apply it around the root
zones of the plants, w share our excess with friends and rellies no
ones been sick or dead yet even use some of it raw in salads), and
hopefull get enough to sue in teh laundry and to keep the pool topped
up, going to use those plastic 44 gallon drums under uncontrlloed
downpies sow e can ahve that water there to use as needed for the
above.

our loose plans are to buy another tank maybe the 14,500 litre one nxt
time so we can be self relient and not ahve to drink that sewer water
they intend pumping into our fresh wate system.

sewer water is lovely stuff Len, lovely stuff. The drinking water we get
here in Hamilton has been through several towns and a few factories, and
seriously, tastes ok. Best thing is that after leaving hamilton and passing
through a couple more towns the recycled water ends up in Auckland. The
ultimate revenge.

rob