Good news with the Council announcing last week that, “from 1 July, all new residential and commercial buildings within the reticulated water network will be required to have a rainwater tank installed as part of the build.”

In June 2019, Council applied to the State Government to allow it to impose this requirement under its planning rules.  Initially this request was rejected, as a Productivity Commission report stated that there would be no net benefit to the community, and it was considered that tank water would be more expensive than other options and would be an added cost to the community.

Fast forward to January 2020, and the State Government had to start water carting to Stanthorpe at a cost of $800,000 per month.  The carting lasted for over a year.  Suddenly “expensive” had a new, very real, meaning.  It certainly proved that there were options that would cost significantly more than getting people to add a small tank to their new building!  No surprises then that when Council went back with its application, it was granted the necessary approval.

POW! congratulates the Council for persevering with the application, and implementing this requirement.  Mayor Pennisi said “The mandatory installation of rainwater tanks is one of several solutions to assist in water security and will relieve pressure on potable water supplies.”

When appearing before the NSW “New Dams” inquiry, Professor Jamie Pittock of the Fenner School of Environment & Society, Australian National University, argued that the best way of 'spreading that risk' of water insecurity is to 'diversify the water sources and the water infrastructure used to diversify the risk'.  Professor Pittock argued that this diversity, rather than dams and traditional water infrastructure, would increase a community's drought resilience.

Rainwater tanks are a great way to diversify our water sources and infrastructure, and reduce the annual water consumption from Storm King Dam.  They also generate local spending on the tanks, as well as on our local tradies to install and connect them.  Good news all round!