3 Harmful Things You Didn’t Know Were in Your Tank
When was the last time you had maintenance done on your tank?
The truth is, not many of us have the time to spare a thought for that one investment we made a few years ago, installed behind the house, and forgot about.
Here’s the issue though, regardless of the filters and strainers you have on your tank, after each shower of rain, a number of things get washed down from your roof, down your gutter and into your tank.
- Dust and Pollen
This stuff is relatively harmless unless you leave near busy roads or closer to the city. A good filter will prevent most of these particles from leaving your tank and going where you don’t want them (eg, your dog’s water bowl, the swimming pool you occasionally top up).
The bad part: Sludge. If you’ve had your tank for more than 3 years, chances are you have a thick buildup of sludge coating the inside of your tank. While this isn’t dangerous on its own, it can lead to other things such as…
- Bacteria
Moist, unsterile environments are the ideal place for bacteria to breed. Ever had an odd taste to your water, or perhaps a slight tint? People often complain about their water looking ‘yellow’ or ‘stained,’ regardless of how many times they’ve filtered it. The cause? Most of the time this is attributable to bacteria that has developed in the tank.
- Decaying Vegetation and Animals
See above. Much of the bacteria in a tank is caused by vegetation falling in through the inlet (either because there is no strainer, or it’s broken). Take a look inside and you’re likely to discover leaves, sticks and whatever creature was unfortunate enough to stumble into any hole it can find (inlet, overflow, outlet…).
To keep yourself and your family far from whatever nasties have made their way into your tank, the Department of Health recommends having your tank serviced and cleaned every 2-3 years. If you’re worried about the loss of water, rest easy. The tank doesn’t have to be emptied, and you only lose about 5% of the total volume.
For more information, see Dan’s Water Tank Services.
Sources:
http://www.health.sa.gov.au/pehs/PDF-files/ph-factsheet-rainwater-tanks.pdf
http://www.health.vic.gov.au/foodsafety/downloads/1_guidelines_report.pdf
