A new Australian study [1] shows that rainwater tanks are cost competitive with desalination, yet five times more energy efficient - significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It also revealed that the installation of household rainwater tanks could delay big water projects like dams for up to a decade.

Professor Ian Lowe from the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), one of the three environmental organisations that commissioned the study said that governments should seriously consider rainwater tanks as an alternative source of water. "There's a very big saving in putting in rainwater tanks instead of infrastructure," he said.

The study was conducted by economists, Marsden Jacob Associates (MJA), for ACF, Nature Conservation Council (NCC) and Environment Victoria. In November 2006 MJA prepared a discussion paper on Australia's urban water supplies for Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

[1] Pickering, P. and Whiteoak, K. (2007). The economics of rainwater tanks and alternative water supply options. Melbourne, Australia, Marsden Jacob Associates (MJA). Download here

Contact: Phil Pickering, Senior Consultant, MJA, Australia, http://www.marsdenjacob.com.au/economists@marsdenjacob.com.au, http://www.marsdenjacob.com.au/

Source: Sarah Clarke, ABC, 16 Apr 2007 ; NCC, Apr 2007

Tags: financing, water collection