Delivery and installation
From empty pad to first rain in eight steps
Choose the spot
Close to downpipes, on stable ground, away from sewer and water mains. Check setbacks and height limits on your state page.
Check approvals
Most household tanks are exempt. Large tanks, bushfire zones, overlays and cyclone areas can need approval. See your state page.
Place the tank
Poly tanks are rolled into position; a crane is at the buyer's expense (Bushmans). Some suppliers place tanks with a Hiab truck (Coerco). Concrete and underground tanks go in by crane truck, or a Franna crane if the truck crane cannot reach (Sydney Water Tanks).
Stop it blowing away
Fill an empty tank with about 25 mm of water straight away, or tie it down (Bushmans). Cyclonic areas need hold-down.
Connect it
First flush diverter, sized at about 10 L per 50 m² of roof (YourHome). Overflow at least 25 mm larger than the inlet, piped at least 300 mm away from the base (Rural Water). Pump and mains switch if plumbed in, by a licensed plumber.
Look after it
Check the base yearly, keep gutters and screens clean, and flush or clean the tank every few years.
Planned for rural deliveries
Tank delivered in a shipping container
Steel liner tanks travel as a flat kit of panels and a liner, and poly tanks up to about 5,000 L fit through a container door. Shipping them in a container means any container carrier can take the job, and the container stays on the farm as a dry, lockable store for pumps, fittings and tools.
The tank still needs a prepared base, and steel liner tanks still need an installer to build them on site. Tick the container option in the tank finder to see whether your tank fits.
How each tank arrives
| Tank | Vehicle | Placement | Base |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poly up to 25,000 L | Light truck and tandem trailer | Rolled by hand, helpers needed | Crusher dust, sand or concrete pad |
| Large poly | Truck and trailer up to 19 m | Rolled, or Hiab where offered | Pad 300 mm wider each side |
| Steel liner rural | Delivered as a kit | Built on site by the installer | Pad 2 m wider than the tank, 150 mm |
| Aquaplate steel | Truck | Placed on slab | Reinforced concrete, at least 100 mm |
| Concrete | Crane truck | Lifted into place or into the hole | Per manufacturer |
| Underground poly | Truck | Lowered by crane, part filled before backfill | Sand bed and backfill |