Harvesting Rainfall with Home Water Tanks

As the United Kingdom’s climate changes and seasons shift, storms become more intense while lengthening droughts, and more households seek self-supplied water reserves through rain storage tanks. Capturing and repurposing nature’s water bounty reduces dependence on volatile municipal supply and outdoor irrigation restrictions. Homeowners able to meet a portion of usage via stored rainfall gain resilience despite shifting weather patterns. But what capacity rain tank fits the average home?

Considering Historical Rainfall

According to Thintanks, average UK rainfall ranges around 800 mm annually. Setting up 200 square feet (about 18 m2) of gutter-fed catchment area could collect over 400 gallons (about 1,400 litres) from a 1-inch rainstorm. Though tank overflow is likely during heavy weather, sustained storage cushions against extended dry periods. Consider your climate’s rainfall patterns when sizing containment infrastructure.

Matching Storage to Usage

While even small tanks provide valuable reservoirs, adequate rain storage critically depends on household size and water usage rates. Thintanks estimates average daily water demands:

Per Person - 18 gallons (68 liters)

Family of 4 - 72 gallons (272 liters)

Ideally, the tank should meet average garden usage for two weeks for contingency against longer drought spells. A 1,100-gallon (about 4,100 litres) unit serves as a robust standard home system when accounting for the catchment area.

While upfront investments are required, rain tanks enabling garden irrigation, car washing etc, with nature’s bounty, deliver long-term value. Future-proof your home against water disruption by putting every storm and shower to work.