Connecting Roof Water to Tanks
We connect your downpipes to rainwater tanks with correct fittings and sediment protection, helping you collect clean roof water for gardens, laundry and non-drinking household uses, using quality proven materials.
Wellington Rainwater Tank Connections
Getting Clean Roof Water Into Your Tank Rainwater Tank Connections
Rainwater Tank Connections in Wellington
A rainwater tank is only as useful as the water reaching it. We handle rainwater tank connections in Wellington from the roof to the tank inlet: the spouting, the downpipes, the diverters that keep leaves and the first dirty flush out, and the overflow that carries surplus water away once the tank is full. Get those parts right and the tank fills cleanly. Get them wrong and you collect silt, leaves and roof grime.
We do the roof drainage side of the job. The tank itself, its base and any pump are supplied and set up by your tank supplier or plumber, and we connect the roof to it. More Wellington households are adding tanks for garden water, emergency supply after an earthquake, or toilet and laundry use, and each purpose changes how the connection should be set up.
Rainwater Tank Connections
Rainwater Tank Connection Services in Wellington
First Flush Diverters and Filters
Diverters and filters remove debris and the initial dirty runoff, improving the quality of stored water and reducing maintenance needs for your tank, pump and plumbing, to a high standard.
Overflow Management
Tanks must overflow safely. We connect overflow outlets to stormwater or soakage so heavy Wellington rainfall is handled without flooding, erosion or damage around your property, with honest practical advice.
Rainwater Tank Connections
From Downpipe to Tank: The Parts That Matter
A typical connection uses several components in sequence. Not every system needs all of them, and the right mix depends on what the water will be used for and how many downpipes feed the tank.
Leaf diverter or rain head
Fitted part-way down the downpipe, a sloping mesh screen sheds leaves and twigs while water passes through. It is the first line of defence and the part most worth keeping clean, especially under pōhutukawa, gum or pine trees.
First-flush diverter
The first rain after a dry spell washes dust, bird droppings and pollen off the roof. A first-flush diverter fills a chamber with that dirty water and holds it back, then lets cleaner water through to the tank. It drains slowly between showers to reset.
Downpipe bypass diverter
A simple switch on the downpipe sends water either into the tank or down to stormwater. It keeps roof water out while the tank is cleaned, or after the roof has been painted or treated for moss, until the runoff runs clean.
Tank inlet screen
A fine mesh at the inlet keeps out insects and fine debris that got past the diverter. Openings at the inlet and overflow need to be insect-proof, which also stops the tank becoming a mosquito breeding ground.
Overflow to stormwater
When the tank is full, surplus water leaves through an overflow pipe of adequate size, discharging to an approved stormwater point. An overflow that dumps onto the ground beside the house can soften foundations and cause ponding.
Wet or dry pipe runs
A dry system falls straight into the top of the tank and empties after rain. A wet system runs pipe underground from several downpipes and rises into the tank, so it stays full of water and needs a drain-down point and careful falls.
Rainwater Tank Connections
Is Your Roof Suitable for Collected Water?
Not every roof gives water you would want to drink, and that is worth checking before the tank is ordered. Older Wellington homes may have lead-based paint on the roof or spouting, lead flashings around chimneys, or coatings that were never intended for drinking water collection. Moss and lichen treatments applied to the roof can also wash into the tank.
For garden and toilet use these issues matter less, though they still affect what ends up in the tank. For drinking water, the roof surface, paint system, flashings and spouting all need to be suitable, and the water should be filtered, treated and tested. If your roof needs repainting first, choose a paint the manufacturer states is suitable for drinking water collection; our roof painting team can advise. We also look for rusting sections that would put corrosion products into the water.
Rainwater Tank Connections
Planning the Connection on a Wellington Section
Tanks are usually placed wherever there is flat ground, which on a hillside section is not always near the downpipes. We look at which roof areas can feed the tank, whether the spouting falls towards it, and whether a downpipe needs to be moved or a new one added. Sometimes rerouting one run of spouting beats running long pipe across a yard. If the spouting is due for replacement anyway, it makes sense to plan both together through our gutter installation service.
Wind matters too. Exposed downpipes and diverters need solid fixings, because lightweight plastic fittings can be battered loose in a big northerly. Where an overflow or pipe run connects into the public stormwater network, that part of the work is carried out by a certifying drainlayer, and we organise our part of the job around theirs.
Rainwater Tank Connections
Why Choose Our Rainwater Tank Connection Specialists in Wellington
Collecting roof water is a smart way to water the garden and reduce mains use, but a poor connection can cause dirty water, overflows and blocked pipes. Our specialists connect your downpipes to tanks using the right fittings, first flush diverters and filters, keeping debris and contaminants out of your stored water. We also plan overflow carefully, directing excess to stormwater or soakage so heavy Wellington rain does not erode your section or flood neighbours. Every connection is sealed and tested before we leave. We explain how to maintain your system, so it keeps working well, and we are happy to advise on appropriate uses for collected water. Contact our local team today.
- Correct fittings, diverters and filters supplied
- Cleaner water with less debris
- Overflow safely directed to stormwater
- Every connection sealed and tested
- Simple maintenance advice for owners
Rainwater Tank Connections
Related Services
A tank connection depends on spouting that collects water cleanly and downpipes in the right places. These related services often go with it.
Helpful answers
Rainwater Tank Connections FAQs
Call our team if you need advice for your property or roofing project.
04 888 0115Do you supply and set up the tank itself?
No. We connect the roof drainage to the tank: spouting, downpipes, diverters, inlet and overflow pipework. The tank, its base or pad, and any pump or filtration are organised through your tank supplier or plumber. We're happy to talk to them so the inlet height and overflow position suit the pipework coming off the roof.
What size first-flush diverter do I need?
It depends on the roof area feeding it and how dirty the roof gets. A roof under trees or beside a busy road benefits from a larger diverter than a clean roof in the open. We size it to the catchment, and on bigger roofs it can be better to fit a diverter on each downpipe rather than one at the tank.
Can I collect drinking water from an old roof?
Possibly, but the roof needs checking first. Lead-based paints, lead flashings, some older coatings and moss treatments can contaminate collected water. For drinking use, the roof and spouting should be suitable and the water should be filtered, treated and tested regularly. Many households use tank water for the garden and toilets and keep mains water for drinking.
Where should the tank overflow go?
To an approved stormwater discharge point, through a pipe at least as large as the inlet. It should not simply spill onto the ground near the house, where it can saturate foundations or wash out a bank on a sloping section. Connections into the public stormwater network are done by a certifying drainlayer.
How do I keep tank water clean?
Keep the spouting and leaf diverters clear, check the first-flush diverter after dry spells, and make sure inlet screens are intact and insect-proof. Gutter guards reduce how much debris reaches the system in the first place. Trim branches that overhang the roof, because they drop leaves and attract birds.
Wellington Roofing
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