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FAQ's

• Can multiple Watercells be used

  Any number of Watercells can be connected in series, so long as the layout, plumbing and reticulation is pre-designed by an authorised designer.

• Can the Watercell be used for fire protection purposes?

  Yes. The reticulation system can incorporate a specific outlet point to enable direct connection by the fire brigade. This is particularly adaptable for rural properties which are located in bushfire prone areas and where Council requires a dedicated water storage system for fire protection purposes.

• Does the building subfloor require special construction?

  The subfloor walls of the building must be capable of supporting the weight of the water. The building subfloor construction does not require unique construction methods but it is important that the subfloor be constructed in a particular manner achieving a predetermined specified standard. The subfloor must incorporate the cell compartments and a service corridor for inspection and to provide access to the cells and the plumbing and reticulation. The subfloor construction must incorporate the fundamentals of good building practice, such as vermin proofing, ventilation, DPC to prevent rising damp and termite barriers to prevent termite infestation.

• How are the cells transported?

  Each cell is folded and contained within a cardboard box measuring approximately 1 metre x 1 metre x 18 centimetres. Ten to twelve Watercells can be quite readily transported in a small utility vehicle or a box trailer.

• How big is a single Watercell?

  A single cell is 6 metres long x 4 metres wide x 70 centimetres in depth. A single cell has a volume of 16,000 litres. A single cell weighs 32 kilograms.

• How many Watercells are required for a standard family home?

  A standard family home would, more than likely, be self-sustained with four to six Watercell compartments. This will give a capacity of 64,000 to 96,000 litres of water. The required capacity of any system is dependant upon the annual rainfall, but more importantly, the intensity and frequency of rain storms. The East Coast of Australia has abundant rainfall, however it occurs in random storm events which deliver large volumes of water in a short period. Dry spells of several weeks and sometimes months are experienced between storm events. An adequate system must have the capacity to collect and store enough water during periods between intense storms. A system with a small storage capacity will fill quickly and overflow and therefore will not sustain supply over the intermittent periods of dry weather.

• How much does a building need to be elevated?

  The required subfloor space is 1.2 metres to provide access for inspection. Typically, the subfloor depth of 1.2 metres can be achieved by excavating 600mm below the ground surface and elevating the floor 600mm above ground surface.

• Is the water collected from the roof suitable and safe for drinking purposes?

  This is dependent on the materials used for roof construction and the location of the building with respect to air quality. All rural properties (since the time of settlement, and still do,) use water collected from the roof for all purposes, including drinking. There is an abundance of technical literature, resultant from studies carried out by various universities, monitoring water quality of tank storage collected from roofs of buildings located in urban environments. The results overwhelming suggest that quality of water collected from the roofs of buildings is very good and suitable for drinking. However, there are numerous commercially available filtration systems which can be incorporated in the reticulation to ensure that water is of drinking quality. These filtration devices are relatively inexpensive and retail from about $500.

• Is the Watercell System visible from outside the building?

  No. It is fully contained within the footprint of the building and does not extend beyond the external walls. Nor does it utilise any open space beyond the building perimeter.

• What is required to install a Watercell System?

  Each Watercell package weighs 32 kg and can be handled by a single person. The installation does not require massive excavation which would be typical of any other tanking system with a similar capacity installed under a building. A typical cell can be installed or removed by a single person in about 1 hour.

• What is the life of a cell?

  Cells are manufactured from polyethylene sheet and will probably last forever. Like all tanking systems, a silt build-up will be inevitable. The outlet of the tank is located above the base making provision for sediment to settle. Time will tell but it will probably be appropriate to replace the cells after 10 or 15 years. Replacement of the cells is a relatively simple procedure.

• What maintenance is required for the Watercell System?

  Virtually no maintenance is required. The filtration system needs to be maintained and the first flush devices need to be cleaned. These are simple operations and do not require specialised trades and involve only minutes per device.

• What other costs are involved to utilise the Watercell System?

  There will be a cost for the Engineer to design the installation and construction of the Watercell compartments to suit each particular building, together with the plumbing and reticulation system. Also, there will be building costs associated with elevating the floor above ground level. The Watercell System cannot be used in conjunction with slab-on-ground type construction.

• What type of buildings could incorporate the Watercell System

  Almost any type of new building can utilize the Watercell System. It is particularly adaptable and obviously cost effective for buildings with relatively light floor loading conditions. Floor loading conditions influence the cost of construction of the suspended floor. Dwelling houses are an ideal application, however the system is very suitable for schools, civic buildings such as libraries and community halls, aged care, villages, churches, commercial offices etc. We do not recommend the Watercell System be incorporated below factory or warehouse floors because the high floor loading conditions will result in higher cost of construction of the floor. However the Watercell System can be utilised under the floor of an office building adjacent to a factory or warehouse building.

• What would be the typical costs associated with building a house or a building containing four to six Watercells?

  Watercells will cost $2,992.00 each, off the shelf. The costs for the Engineer to design the subfloor structure, plumbing and reticulation will be about $3,000 but is dependent on the Architectural design of the building. The additional building construction cost associated with elevating the floor to create a subfloor space is dependent on the particular site, the Architectural design and material to be utilised for the floor construction. The cell width of 4 metres was selected to ensure that most commercially available floor construction systems can be adapted without significant cost surcharge. Therefore floors may be constructed using timber framing, steel framing or various commercially available concrete forming products such as Bondeck or Ultrafloor.