Friday, 15 July 2022
Why Is Rain Harvesting Important?
Promax Rainwater Tanks Feed A Thirsty Nation
In our recently published company story, Together Making A Difference Today To Sustain Life Tomorrow, we spelt out some fascinating (and concerning) facts.
- According to Stats NZ, the average annual rainfall for the five years to 2020 was 3.1% below the previous five-year average and 10.7% below the five-year average for 1996 to 2000.
- Between 2016 and 2020, New Zealand’s average precipitation, including rain, snow, and hail, was 504,988 million cubic metres. Compare this to 520,890 million cubic metres in the previous five years and 565,691 million cubic metres between 1996 and 2000.
- Seven of the nine North Island regions endured drought-like conditions in 2019 as they recorded the lowest precipitation over the 25 years to June 2020.
- Northland, the home of Promax, recorded only 64% of the region’s average annual rainfall in the year to June 2019.
When we examine the importance of rain harvesting, we only have to look at statistics like that to appreciate the need to collect every drop we can. Promax does not see climate change as a future event to be debated and planned. It is here, and it’s happening. There’s less rain and more drought. No matter where you live in New Zealand, that’s the current reality, and our dry country will only become drier.
Harvesting the rain allows you to use this most precious natural resource as you see fit. Why wouldn’t you? The council can’t charge you for the water you capture. It’s free! And when local authorities impose water use restrictions, which is seen as an annual inevitably in most regions, you won’t be as severely affected. You’ll be able to access the water you’ve harvested and use it to keep your garden alive over summer or carry out other household activities that restrictions might usually curtail.
After installing a Promax plastic storage tank, you have ready access to the water you need for things like irrigation, cleaning and drinking. We think it’s an enormous waste for the rain to fall on a roof and just sit there before evaporating. Our company’s actions back up our thoughts on rain harvesting. We use 100% of the rainwater collected on our 1,500 square metre roof in Kerikeri is used for factory and office drinking water and ablutions. While we know that not everyone has a building of that size, we also realize that you can catch an awful lot of water in an average size property. You don’t have to be big to boost your sustainability.
The advantages of rain harvesting extend beyond just collecting water for use at a later date. It has other positive impacts on our environment. For example, the more water we collect and use, the less reliant we are on water treatment plants. Less demand means those plants reduce their power consumption and emit fewer greenhouse gases. If more of us used our “own” water, then treatment plants would continue to reduce their emissions – tell us that isn’t a good thing?
Rain harvesting is important today. Will it be a necessity tomorrow? There should be no such thing as a long term plan for installing water storage tanks. The time to act is now.
Contact us for further information and advice to help you make the right decision.