| By :
Eva Judge
As altruistic as installing a water tank may be, plans can go awry when tanks aren't built according to local rules and regulations. Like any other city, Brisbane has strict rules about the size and location of rainwater tanks. Avoid wasting a lot of time and money by familiarising yourself with the basics about building a water tank. Water Tanks and New Homes - Rules and regulations exist about water tanks in Queensland primarily to ensure that neighbours are kept happy. When building a new home, it is important to produce clearly defined plans regarding the water tank that you plan to include. Building inspectors will include such structures during their inspections, so it pays to have them built right the first time. The Queensland Development Code has regulations about how water tanks are built and where they are located. Water Tanks and Existing Homes - Adding a tank to an existing home isn't terribly difficult. In fact, building approval may be not be required at all. If the following criteria are met, you shouldn't need approval. Of course, you can always double-check with a pest inspection firm to make sure. You shouldn't need approval for your existing home's new water tank if: - it is less than 2.4 metres tall, including stand - it is located at least 450 millimetres away from all property boundaries - if submerged, it doesn't extend more than one metre into the ground - the sides of the tank measure five metres long or less - if attached to a building, it's at least 900 millimetres away from any other building on the property If your tank goes against any of these points, you will have to submit a building application and have it appraised by a building certifier. An architect or draftsman will need to produce detailed, scaled plans that will have to be passed along to the certifier in order to proceed. It is also important to note that special considerations must be made for tanks that are taller than 2.4 metres and/or whose footprints are greater than ten metres squared. In that case, you need to check with Council to find out whether or not you need to submit a building application. Water tanks are great ways to help conserve and protect the environment. By making sure that your tank meets all of your neighbourhood and city's local regulations, you can enjoy it as long as you'd like. Better still, you can avoid inadvertently upsetting your neighbours. Ultimately, your rainwater tank should serve you very well and help you do your own small part to save the planet and conserve its resources.
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