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Choosing the Right Pressure Pump for Your Rainwater Tank

Choosing the Right Pressure Pump for Your Rainwater Tank If you are looking to install a rainwater tank, then you probably at least intend to use it for watering your garden, washing your clothes, cleaning your car, filling your pool and the like. You might also wish to have fresh, crisp rainwater on tap for cooking and drinking. This all means you will need to connect and pump your precious rainwater from your tank into your house. How do you choose the right water tank pump for your needs? Most water tank manufacturers will provide special packages where they include a pressure pump. It is worth consulting them about any such packages which can keep your costs lower than buying one separately, and it will normally include a pump cover to match your tank. Your water tank pressure pump will obviously need power to pump the water to where it is needed. For domestic purposes, you will want a flow rate of 20L per minute (which is equivalent to your mains water supply). Most pumps can handle this, however the flow rate and power needs can be influenced by other factors including:
  • the distance water needs to travel between your tank and home,
  • whether water needs to move upward, into multi-storey homes or units,
  • the number of water outlets that need to be serviced, especially at the same time.
You might be tempted to choose the most powerful pump for dollar value that you can find. Keep in mind though, that the more powerful pump you purchase, then the more energy that it will require every time your rainwater is accessed throughout your house. Although a more complicated setup, to reduce energy usage you might want to entertain setting up a gravity system. This will reduce the amount of times your pump needs to activate. Basically, you have a separate tank located higher than where you need it (known as a header tank). Your rainwater is pumped to this tank and gravity takes care of getting the water to where it is needed in your home. While most pumps supplied will be suitable, if concerned we recommend that you consult your plumber to get a better understanding of where you need the water and what will do the job. Ensure your plumber is appropriately licensed in your state. Sometimes there are requirements that you need to comply with, especially if setting up a switch to your mains water as a backup to your rainwater where you require a backflow prevention device. For more information about pressure pumps for water tanks, contact our friendly staff to discuss your needs.