water management
rain water storage and
collection
poly water
tanks
Polyethylene tanks,
commonly called poly or plastic tanks, are
the most widespread water tanks in use in Australia today.
This page looks at their relative advantages and
disadvantages when compared to other types of water tanks.
advantages
- Lighter than all other types of water tanks, which makes them simpler to move.
One of two 13,500 Litre (3,000 gallon) poly water tanks in my garden. It has a trellis surrounding it on three sides to support Chinese gooseberry and Scarlet Runner bean plants.
- Easier to install than galvanised water tanks as they
can just be set on a sand base while galvanised tanks need a
heavy duty stand.
- Because they are moulded they come in a large range of
different shapes, not just round ones, making them more
suitable for tight spots such as between the side of a house
and a fence.
- Cheaper than galvanised iron or concrete water tanks of
similar size. The only tanks that are cheaper (per litre of
storage capacity) are very large poured concrete tanks, but
these large tanks are usually not suitable for urban
backyards.
- They can be buried up to one third of their height into the ground, which is a real advantage if you need to get the top of your tank to sit under the roof line at a point where the ground slopes steeply up. There are also specialist poly tanks that can be buried entirely underground.
disadvantages
- Poly tanks have only been on the market for less than twenty five years and it is unknown how they will break down when they are very old. They may well be quite an environmental problem when it comes to disposing them after their useful lifespan has passed.
I have two 13,500 litre poly water tanks which are the main water supply for the garden. They are also connected to the toilet and laundry during the Winter months plus there is an all year round connection to the kitchen to supply drinking water through a filtered tap.