Hi Guys,
We're nearly at the stage of finalising the contract / plans / drawings for our new home in suburbia (Blackwood Park for those in SA), and, because we can, I have specified a 22,000 litre concrete in-ground rainwater tank.
I was asking the builders architect about the best way to have this plumbed, and he sent me off to have a heart-to-heart with the plumber.
I was able to have a really long and informative talk with the plumber, I thought he seemed really down-to-earth and honest and didn't feel rushed or like he was trying to sell me anything I didn't need.
I had planned to have the rainwater plumbed to all the toilets and washing machine, but he had a radically different idea !!
His suggestion was to plumb the WHOLE house to the rainwater tank EXCEPT the toilets and garden taps !
His logic in not connecting the toilets was that they're used quite a few times a day, but only for 3 - 6 litres at a time so not much point running the pump so much for so little benefit !
Back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that 22,000 litres used in a whole-house configuration would last us around 4 weeks.
We're having as much solar PV on the roof as can fit and also evacuated-tube solar hot water.
Croud-sourcing opinions !!!
Thanks guys,
P_D