Rainwater Tanks and House Supply in Trafalgar

A tank is only as useful as the pump and the valves

A corrugated tank on a Trafalgar block will not deliver water to the house unless the pump, the unions and the isolating valves are in good order, and unless air and debris are not constantly defeating the prime. A first-flush diverter and a simple strainer keep a lot of leaf out of the pump. When the house suddenly loses tank water, start with whether the tank actually has water in it, then look at the pump and the power, if it is safe to do so, and then call us rather than pulling the pump apart on a guess.

Town water and backflow

If the house also has a town supply, tank water must not be able to find its way into the main. That usually means the right valves and, in many cases, a testable backflow device. We check what is there, explain what the standard asks for, and quote the work if something is missing or has failed. We do not 'make it work' with a setup that would fail an inspection.

When to call

Call 03 8658 7379 if the pump will not prime, a valve weeps, the house has no tank water, or you have been asked for a current backflow test. A photo of the tank base and the pump is the most useful thing you can send with the form. This guide is general; a licensed look at your arrangement is the only way to know.

Trafalgar pipes at a glance

Trafalgar sits on the Princes Highway in Baw Baw Shire, postcode 3824, between Yarragon and Moe, with farmland, weatherboard houses and larger rural blocks spreading toward Thorpdale, Willow Grove, Narracan and Trafalgar East. Many homes here run a rainwater tank as well as, or instead of, a town supply, and a good number still have a septic system rather than a sewer. Water services can be long runs down a gravel drive, and earthenware or PVC drains pick up roots from paddock and roadside trees.

We use cameras, locators, pressure tests and acoustic leak detection so we can see the pipework before anyone cuts a wall or opens a trench in a paddock lawn.

Related services

• Emergency plumbing
• Blocked drains
• Hot water
• Gas fitting
• Hot water replacement
• Rainwater tanks
• Septic plumbing
• Leaking taps
• Burst pipes
• Toilets
• Leak detection
• Pipe relining
• Stormwater
• Bathrooms
• Roof and gutters
• Backflow and maintenance

More guides

• Rainwater tanks and house supply
• Septic systems on Baw Baw blocks
• Choosing a plumber
• No hot water checklist
• Burst pipe, first minutes
• Leaking tap, when to call
• Gas heater and cooktop safety
• Finding your meter on a rural block
• Tree roots in country sewers
• Stormwater on farm drives
• Tank backflow and drinking water
• Hot water for country homes