Gardening Australia – September 2019

W

ithmorefrequentand

longer-lastingperiods

ofdrought,increasing

watercostsandagrowing

populationthat’sputtingdemandsonwater

supplies,waterrestrictionsarebecoming

apermanentpartoflifeacrossAustralia.

Amongthefirsttofeelthepressureof

waterrestrictionsaregardeners,aseven

low-levelrestrictionsaffecthowandwhen

gardensarewatered.

InWesternAustralia,waterrestrictions

arenowalwaysinforce,butarecalled

guidelines,notrestrictions.Andinsome

inlandtowns,severewaterrestrictions

havebeeninoperationformanyyears.

Allthisfadesintothebackgroundwhen

youhaveyourownwatersource–literally

ontap–intheformofawatertank.

Watertanksarereadilyavailableand

comeinallshapesandsizes,sotheycan

beincorporatedintoevenasmallgarden.

Whiletheyaren’tcheap–pricesfora

small,200Lpolytankstartat$150–they

areinvaluable,astheyallowgardeners

Aswaterbecomesascarcer

resource,weneed tocollectandcherish

everydrop.JENNIFERSTACKHOUSEsteps

throughthe processofinstallingarainwater

tanksoyoucankeepyourgardengrowing

PHOTO

ISTOCK

WATER

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GARDENING AUSTRALIA SEPTEMBER 2019 49

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