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Water Tank Prices - How Much Does It Cost To Buy A Water Tank?

Rainwater Tank Buying Guide TOC

What Water Tank Size Should I Buy?

This is a very common question to ask when you first decide you need to purchase a water tank. In order to answer it properly there is one main question to answer first - what you going to be using the harvested water for? Generally speaking people utilise harvested rainwater for three main reasons:

Household supply
Irrigation
Combination of the above two reasons

Water Tank Sizes For Household Supply Use

Utilising harvested rainwater for household supply can include the following uses:

Drinking water
Washing clothes
Showering
Toilet flushing
Gardening

When determining the optimal size water tank for household supply, there are two major factors to take into consideration. The first is being aware of how much water you are able to catch per year, and the second is how many people will be utilising water within the household.

You will always be limited by how much water you can catch and harvest (unless you are supplying water from a dam or bore, or refilling your water tank with cartage water). You can determine the potential volume of water you can harvest by multiplying the square meterage of your catching surface (for example, your home or shed roof), by the annual rainfall in millimetres. As such if your catching surface is 250 square meters, and your annual rainfall is 200mm, you may be able to catch up to 50kl of water per year.

On average, each person within a household will consume approximately 30kl of water each year. Utilising this figure as a guide, you can estimate how much water you will need to harvest, in order to satisfy this demand.

Now that you have an idea of how much water you can catch, was well as how much water you will need, you are in a better position to work out what size rainwater tank you will need when using your water tank for domestic water supply purposes.

Water Tank Sizes For Irrigation

Those looking for water tanks to assist with irrigation usually have access to a sustainable water source such as a dam or a bore. In this instance, the size of your water tank will be determined by how much water you need to utilise at any one time, in addition to your refill capability and the time it takes to refill your water tank.

Something to be mindful of is your water tank flow rate (how often your water tank is refilled). A higher flow rate may lead to increased and premature wear and tear on supporting mechanical equipment (such as your pump). In order to reduce your flow rate, you can choose a larger water tank size that holds more rainwater and therefore can reduce the stress on supporting assets.

Water Tank Industry Averages - Water Tank Prices By Size 2020

Water Tank Size	Ideal Rainwater Tank Type	Average Starting Price **
1,000 Litres	Poly Water Tank	$600
5,000 Litres	Poly Water Tank	$850
10,000 Litres	Poly Water Tank	$1,800
30,000 Litres	Steel Water Tank	$6,020
50,000 Litres	Steel Water Tank	$7,292
110,000 Litres	Steel Water Tank	$10,586
150,000 Litres	Steel Water Tank	$13,605
220,000 Litres	Steel Water Tank	$18,348
250,000 Litres	Steel Water Tank	$19,302
330,000 Litres	Steel Water Tank	$30,093
370,000 Litres	Steel Water Tank	$33,572
410,000 Litres	Steel Water Tank	$37,231
500,000 Litres	Steel Water Tank	$44,417

**Water tank costs indicated are an estimation for information purposes only. Actual prices will vary dependent upon size, state, colour, accessories, installation location and sales campaign at the time.

Installed Pioneer Water Tank

Poly or Steel, Which Type of Water Tank is Better Value?

Generally speaking, a polyethylene rainwater tank is better value than a steel water tank within the lower volume sized range. The reason for this is that polyethylene ( a food grade plastic) is light and is also relatively cheaper to make .

Another key area where a poly water tank may be of better value is in relation to footprint size. If the area you have identified to place your water tank is restricted by way of access, or footprint size, there are a few different poly water tank options that may be well suited.

The three most popular forms of poly water tanks are slimline water tanks, round poly water tanks, and round squat poly water tanks.

Slimline Water Tanks

Slimline water tanks are ideal for suburban households that have space restrictions. The varieties of length within the slimline tank range is ideal to fit between windows and in narrow spaces, so as not to inhibit household aesthetics.

Round Poly Water Tanks

Whilst the slimline water tank can be long and thin, you can also utilise a round poly water tank. The smaller diameter poly tank can be ver useful in tight areas, and can be easily relocated to different areas if the need arises.

Round Squat Poly Water Tanks

The squat poly water tank is extremely useful in areas where there is a low roof line or where the tank would need to fit on a stand and still be below the eaves of the roof. By deign, it is a round, squat tank that will allow you to harvest the water you require, without taking up a lot of space.

When Steel Water Tanks Become Better Value

As can be verified by the chart above, as the price of water tanks becomes cheaper on a cents per litre basis as water tank sizes increase. The limiting factor of the poly water tank is the individual tank size capacity.

Lets use the example of capturing and storing 60kl of rainwater. With the poly water tank option, you would likely need 2 x 30kl poly tanks. As per the above estimated water tank pricing table, this option would set you back approximately $8400, at a cost of 14 cents per litre. For that same price you could afford a steel water tank with a capacity of 110,000 litres (which has a cost of 7.2 cents per litre.

It's fair to say that when you are looking to harvest and store rainwater in excess of 30kl, then a steel water tank may be the better option for you.

Do Water Tank Prices Vary State to State

You will always deal directly with our Pioneer direct local dealer network, however all of our Pioneer Water Tanks are manufactured in Perth, Western Australia. This results in prices varying from state to state due to freight costs. If your water tank is going to be installed within 100km of your local dealer, then there is no extra cost. If your installation falls outside of this range, then there is a small extra cost.

Do Other Factors Affect Water Tank Prices?

Once you have decided on what water tank size you would like, you then have the choice of what kind of finish you would like (also categorised as your colour choice). At Pioneer we only use Australian Bluescope® steel, so you have the choice of ZINCALUME® (which is a silver colour) or COLORBOND® steel. The COLORBOND® watertank finish would increase the price of your rainwater tank.

Another factor that would increase the price of your water tank is adding extra fittings. At Pioneer, your watertank is manufactured with the following standard fittings:

1 x Exclusive AQUALINER Fresh® water tank liner
1 x set (2) anodes
1 x 50mm outlet & ball valve
1 x 150mm overflow, downpipe & flap valve
1 x leaf filter basket or 50mm inlet
1 x heavy duty hinged access hatch
1 x galvanised ladder

If you require any additional fittings above those listed above, the price of your water tank may increase.

Are There Any Other Costs?

You will need to have your site ready for your water tank installation. There may be a cost if you need to purchase the recommended clean, fine inert sand which is to be used, as well as the cost of labour if you need to hire someone to prepare the sand pad for you.

You may also incur further costs if you need to install power (you may need to invest in the services of a qualified electrician) or the services of a qualified plumber to assist with your pipework.

One other factor to consider is the location of your water tank. If you are looking to place your tank in an area that has a bit of a slope, or is next to other structures such as fencing, you may need protect your rainwater tank by building a retaining wall. If going down this path, it is recommended to utilise a limestone retaining wall due to the quality and longevity of natural limestone blocks.

Talk To The Water Tank Experts

In order to get an exact price for you water tank, do yourself a favour and give us a call on 1800 999 599. We'll take the time to get to understand your project and offer you qualified advice on the best way forward for you to achieve your desired outcomes.

Once we understand exactly what you are after, we'll offer you a great water tank price in the form of a written quote which is valid for 30 days. When you are ready to proceed with ordering your water tank, simply give us a call and we'll look after you 100%!