Rainwater Catchment tanks
In the Summer of 2019, we partnered with Oxfam to sell and install rainwater catchment tanks across Wellington, and donate the profits to their water programs. This meant that for every tank sold in Wellington, Oxfam were able to install two similar tanks in Syrian refugee camps, or provide a clean water program for a school in a third world country. We hit the target of 50 tanks sold, and were able to donate $5,000 to Oxfam in a matter of months! This project is now on the backburner- new gardening clients are offered a rainwater tank, and members of the public are still invited to have one installed by our business. We still donate profits from water tank sales to Oxfam. Some of the images on this page are from the tank fundraiser and therefore may not have accurate pricing on them.
Tank prices-
Rainwater tanks have been impacted by the usual Covid shortages. At the time of writing, we are able to get quality black or green 200L tanks for $230, and recycled blue tanks for $180. Please check in about what is available and the cost when enquiring.
$100 + tank cost to install a 200L tank
Install a tank you already own- charged hourly
Deliver a tank without setting it up- cover our costs
This includes delivery; securing the tank to the ground, a wall or fence; and attaching the tank to a downpipe so that it will be filled by rainfall from the roof (if desired). These tanks can be installed so they can be moved easily (if renting or renovating), they can also be installed so that they are not able to be easily removed (if there are security concerns. Please see below for FAQs.
Why is having an emergency water supply important?
Our water supply network crosses fault-lines in multiple places. In a strong earthquake, our water system will break down. Wellington Water have indicated it will take more than 100 days to restore services in some suburbs in the Wellington region.
The current emergency water plan for Wellington
It will take 7-10 days after an earthquake for emergency services to set up water refill stations. There will be refill stations set up in 7 locations across the Wellington Region for residents to come and collect 20l per person of water at a time, on foot or by bicycle (fuel supplies are immediately locked down for civil defense vehicles, and the roads are likely to be impacted). Your ability to carry 20L of water per day depends partly on your personal situation, and partly on where the collection stations will be- 7 stations across all of Wellington means they will probably be quite a walk. For 7-10 days, your only water will be what you have stored at your home.
Why is this relevant for our household?
We use 220L of water each per day, on average.
In an emergency, 20L per person per day enables us to drink enough fluids, cook and have the basics of sanitation.
Wellington Region Emergency Management Office (WREMO) recommend storing 140L per person in your household (20L per person per day for a 7 day supply) as a minimum. GNS Science recommend households store 600-800L per person! I think it's important to make an informed judgement for yourself on how much your household should store. I've received these figures across a range of sources- the same that Wellington City Council use. Here's one.
When I'm planting, gardening, or mowing, I have occasionally moved empty 200L water storage tanks that were never set up, and I think of how lucky we have been thus far, in our windy, earthquake-prone city. (No judgement- I didn't have a tank until this order arrived!) Our city simply does not have the capacity to store enough water to support our population if our water supply is cut off. We need to support our household for the first seven days of an earthquake or other catastrophic event.
Why am I fundraising for Oxfam's water programmes?
More than a quarter of the world's population do not have access to clean water. Oxfam is currently supporting Lebanon, Jordan, Tonga, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea where there has either never been secure access to drinking water, or a natural disaster has damaged their infrastructure. They have not had the ability to plan ahead the way we can, and their reality is what we try to prevent happening post-quake! There hasn't been enough clean water to, for example, wash hands after using the toilet, let alone flushing a toilet. Girls and women are unable to go to school or work when on their periods, as they can't wash themselves properly and can't clean reusable sanitary items. Many people are resigned to drinking water which will make them sick, as they don't have access to clean water.
What if I don’t have a place to attach my tank to a downpipe?
We have found that the quality of downpipe connectors is really varied and as a result we don’t actually recommend attaching them anymore, unless you are happy with a potentially drippy pipe, or water that is a bit ick. The tops can be taken off to catch rainwater or you can fill them using an outside tap. We fill the tanks when we install them, and recommend fully replacing the water every 12 months.
It is better to install your water tank in a location that is safe in an earthquake, stable and suitable for your own needs. We put them in all sorts of places!
This project reached the local paper- thanks Jamie!
