Swinburne University: Climate Change and Rainwater Tank Savings

This report investigates the effect of climate change on rainwater tank savings in Sydney, Australia. It begins with an introduction outlining the research background, significance, and objectives, followed by a literature review on water sustainability, rainwater harvesting advantages and disadvantages, and factors affecting adoption. The study uses a daily water balance model (e-Tank) to analyze water collection, feasibility, and the optimal design of rainwater harvesting systems (RWHS). The methodology includes formulas for water savings and reliability calculations. The results section presents findings on water savings, and the conclusion summarizes the potential of water-saving tanks and provides recommendations for increased awareness and investment in innovative water-saving tools. The report includes references to support its findings.

INVESTIGATING EFFECT OF
CLIMATE CHANGE ON RAINWATER
TANKS SAVINGS, SYDNEY,
AUSTRALIA
Student id:

INTRODUCTION
Depicts the research background, Research significance and
research objectives
Critically evaluation of effect of climate change on rainwater tanks
savings, Sydney, Australia by literature review
Depicts methods
Discussion the results and discussion
Discusses Conclusion and recommendation

RESEARCH BACKGROUND
Water security is being a major concern for the current era.
Water is essential commodity for animals, humans, and plant (Apostolidis,
Hertle, & Young, 2011).
The water scarcity issues affected to different factors named as social,
economic, environmental and political aspects (Amos, Rahman, & Gathenya,
2018).
For declining this, country has used the water harvesting system and try to
eliminate the water issue.

CONT’D..(RATIONALITY)
Rationality
 In the Australia increasing water scarcity issues is an imperative aspect to select
this topic for research
 Comprehend the methods by which water issues has been declined

CONT’D..(OBJECTIVES)
The following are the main objectives of this research:
To investigate the trend of climate variability and water demand in
the Greater Sydney region.
To estimate the amount of rainwater that can be collected in
Sydney using rooftop RWHS.
To analyze the feasibility and reliability of using RWHS in Sydney.
To analyze water collection by RWHS using e-Tank – a daily water
balance model.
To determine the optimum design of RWHS in Sydney.
• To determine the payback period of a RWHS in Sydney

LITERATURE REVIEW
3.1. Water Sustainability
Water security is being a major concern for the current era along with the current demand
of water has surpassed the ability of conventional water resources (Apostolidis, Hertle, &
Young, 2011).
3.2. Advantages of Rainwater Harvesting
Free and clean water
Reduces water bills:
Numerous uses
3.3. Disadvantages of Rainwater Harvesting
Unpredictable rainfall
Toxic roof particles
Regular maintenance

CONT’D..
3.4. Factors Affecting Adoption of RWHS
Frequent flooding
Low water tariffs
Cost
3.5. Design of RWHS
The following factors has affected to the RWHS size:
Rainfall intensity (Allen & Haarhoff, 2015).
Area potential
Catchment size
Surface area of roof
Roof types
Water demand

CONT’D..
3.6. Rainwater Harvesting in Different Global Cities
Amba Township, located approximately 10 km from Gandhinagar, North
Gujarat has used Rainwater Harvesting. For getting environmental
benefits RWHS is used (Adugna, et al., 2018).
3.7. RWHS Research in Australia
In Australia, most households has used rainwater tank that is supported
by the government to save the water and decline the water issue.
3.8. RWHS Research in Sydney
Rainwater harvesting is potentially increase the supply of water in
Sydney and supports to decline the possibilities of water scarcity
(Akroush, et al., 2016).

CONT’D..
3.9. Description of Study Area
The Greater Sydney region covers an area of 12,367 km2 while the urban area of the
city covers an area of 1,687 km2 .
3.10. Climate of Sydney: the climate of Sydney is humid subtropical climate.
3.11. Daily water balance model – e-Tank
It was designed to evaluate certain following factors
daily rainfall,
water uses,
water losses resulting from leakage,
and spillage,
volume of rainwater storage tank

METHODOLOGY
Formulae used for the water savings & reliability calculations
St = vt+st-1-D …………… (1)
St = 0 for St < 0………… (2)
St = C for St > C ………. (3)
Daily water balance model is used.

CONT’D..

6. RESULTS: