Marrickville Council fully supports the harvesting and use of rainwater for non-contact purposes such as garden watering, car washing, clothes washing and toilet flushing. Using rainwater for these purposes greatly reduces the pressure on limited drinking water sources, as well as reducing stormwater run-off from your property.
Some domestic scale rainwater tanks will not require submission of a Development Application (DA) to Council. If your rainwater tank is considered exempt through State Environmental Planning Policy 4 – Complying and Exempt Development (for single-dwelling residential properties and schools) or MarrickvilleDevelopment Control Plan 36 (for multi-unit dwellings and businesses), you will not be required to submit a Development Application (DA).
Special rules do however apply to properties within the Abergeldie Estate and King Street/Enmore Road Heritage Conservation Areas, or which are listed as Heritage Items under the Marrickville Local Environment Plan 2001. Rainwater tanks are not disallowed in these areas; however care must be taken to ensure that the proposed tank(s) do not adversely impact on the heritage significance of these places.
The following flowchart shows at a glance which planning documents apply to your property and how to proceed with your rainwater tank installation:
In order to allow water for the irrigation of playing fields and toilets, more extensive exemptions are available for schools. Up to 25,000 litres of rainwater harvesting can be installed provided this meets the requirements of State Environmental Planning Policy (Exempt and Complying Development Codes) 2008. Sydney Water rebates of up to $2,500 are available for schools who install rainwater tanks.
Sydney Water offers a rebate scheme that can help to offset the cost of purchasing and installing your tank. Depending on the size of the tank you can currently claim up to $500, with an additional $500 available if the tank is plumbed to your toilet and/or washing machine.
The following rebates apply for households that voluntarily install rainwater tanks between 1 July 2007 and 30 June 2009:
Households that are required through BASIX to install a tank are not eligible for the rebate.
To check current rebate rates contact Sydney Water on 132 092 or visit www.sydneywater.com.au
The Australian Government is now offering a rebate scheme as part of their Water for Life Program.
The Australian Government is providing:
For more information on how to apply, contact the national information line on 1800 808 571 or email: nrgi@environment.gov.au.
Council recommends you read through the NSW Health Guidelines for Safe Rainwater Use carefully before installing your rainwater tank. It is a brief document containing valuable information on how to ensure rainwater is used safely.
Council does not encourage residents to use rainwater for drinking, cooking or for personal contact purposes such as showering or swimming. This is because rainwater harvested in urban areas can be contaminated with the chemicals generated by heavy traffic and industry.
For more information on Marrickville Council’s sustainable water demonstration projects, including arranging a site visit, contact Council’s Sustainable Water Environments Coordinator or phone 9335 2104.
Many Owners’ Corporations have already installed tanks for watering landscaped areas and for plumbing into shared laundries. Council is happy to help guide you if you wish to install a rainwater tank at your block of units.
It's important to get the right size tank to suit your needs. This will depend on your roof catchment area and the amount of water you require. Generally, the larger the tank, the more reliable and effective it will be in harvesting water, however there’s no point wasting a lot of space on a huge tank that will always be empty. Conducting a Water Audit of your property can help assess your water needs. A Water Audit Worksheet is provided here to assist you. As a guide, Sydney Water recommends as a minimum size:
For more information about rainwater harvesting in contact Council’s Water and Catchments Coordinator on 9335 2104 or email envuswim@marrickville.nsw.gov.au.
Marrickville Council holds technical workshops designed to help you plan for harvesting rainwater on your property. View the workshop presentation by Ecological Design by clicking here.
To learn more about rainwater harvesting, please visit our events page to book your place in the next workshop. Contact Council’s Water and Catchments Coordinator on 9335 2104 or email envuswim@marrickville.nsw.gov.au.