If you live in an area that is prone to bushfires and you have poly water tanks it might be time to sell them and go to steel or concrete.

Poly tanks can burn even when full of water, the outside catches fire and as the tank weakens the weight of water causes ruptures and the tank fails.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-18/all-that-remains-of-the-rose-home-1/11613948?nw=0

Is Mise,

Not if your $750 value 3,000 litres poly tank comes complete with the optional $5,000 self contained fire suppressant system.

Which might soon be made mandatory by your local council meathead (because they are just so F'n smart).

Steel tanks will last longer too.

I installed 3 of 3000 gallon corrugated iron tanks 29 years ago. I replaced one tank 3 years ago, & another under 2 years ago, so 26 & 27 years service.

They are collecting water off a corrugated iron roof, & I am told there is a reaction between that roof & the tank, causing corrosion. If I had used colorbond tanks they would still be fine apparently. I have no personal knowledge of this, but the third tank which is filled by pumping water from the dam or river is still going fine, so it may be true. It doesn't matter much as a fire hot enough to set fire to your water tank would probably burn the house down, under which circumstances you wouldn't care too much about a tank.

Similarly, every tank instillation I've seen recently has used either black polly pipe, or white PVC pipe, both of which will burn very quickly, releasing any fire fighting water anyway. Add the fact that your power will be out anyway, so electric pumps won't work.

Empty steel tanks usually collapse in the heat of the fire anyway.

Petrol or diesel fire pumps will still work, but at between 10,000 & 18,000 liters per hour, the tank water would not last long.

Protect your tanks by bush fire proofing your property. Clear at least 200 meters from the buildings, down to short grass, & your tanks will probably survive.

Continued.

Continued.
I do find it amusing when townies complain about their water & sewerage rates.

I have an $18,000 investment in supplying & removing drinking & garden water to & from my home, & protecting it from fire. This includes 5 water tanks, 3 fire pumps, & a water transfer pump, 3 pressure pump systems, 2 for drinking water & one for garden, & 2 grey water sullage pumps.

This does not include 2, 24V solar powered pumps, one on the bore, & one for harvesting from the river, a big diesel on the dam, & one on the god damn pool.

On average these pumps require overhaul or replacement at about a 6 year cycle, so a not inexpensive cost of getting out of overcrowded cities.

Incidentally I spent most of Friday repairing a failed riser junction in the underground mainline from the dam to the house. I really am getting too old to have to dig a 2.5 meter trench, a meter deep by half a meter wide, & work down at the bottom replacing the 30 year old junction that had failed. Tell your neighbors thinking about a tree change, it aint all fun.

Opinion.

Must you continually affirm the supposition that you are rather boring?

Is Mise,

You aren't by chance a council employee?