Many residents, particularly those in the outer lying areas do not have access to scheme water supply and must therefore have water tanks or bore water. This can in turn bring about its own problems as the water needs to be kept free from contamination such as organic matter, vermin and mosquitoes.

 Catchment management is of great importance to reduce the likelihood of contamination and include measures such as:

• Regularly cleaning the gutters or fitting suitable gutter guards
• Periodically desludging the tank so as to remove any accumulated organic material
• Fitting leaf guards to the water inlet for the tanks
• Denying all access to mosquitoes to the water tanks – particularly where a whirly bird is fitted or were a corrugated tank roof meets the tank wall.
• Letting all summer storms and the first winter rains not enter the tank so as to prevent dirt and other debris from entering the tank
• Ensuring the bore is securely capped so that nothing can access the water
• Ensuring the bore is situated a minimum of 30m from any effluent disposal system so as to prevent the uptake of any pathogens

 Rainwater tanks can also be subject to damage in the event of a bushfire and was a major cause of concern in the aftermath of the Parkerville fire of January 2008. Such concerns included scorching of plastic liners and damage to the corrosion protection of the steel components of tanks; the melting of plastic pipes near the tanks and possible by-products this produces; and the contamination of the tank water with ash and firefighting agents in the tank water as a result of owners not disconnecting their rainwater tanks from the downpipes prior to the fire. As a result of the Parkerville fire, the Department of Health produced a fact sheet relating to water tanks and bushfires that can be found here.

 Further general information can be found at the Department of Health’s website located in Related Links.

For more information please feel free to contact the Shire’s Health Services on 9290 6666.