Top Facts About An On-Site Detention Tank

In many areas of Australia, heavy rains and storms can result in a lot of stormwater that increases the potential of flooding. This situation is aggravated by the expansion of industrial, commercial and residential buildings, which put pressure on current underground drainage facilities.

In this scenario, local councils stipulate new home builders to share the responsibility of flood control by requiring them to install concrete water tanks like an on-site detention tank (OSD) in their properties to catch and drain the stormwater.

These are different from traditional stormwater tanks since they have special valves which permit the slow discharge of water into drains over time. Such a system can prevent the occurrence of flooding and is needed for compliance with council requirements in some areas. OSD tanks can also be incorporated into a combined OSD/rainwater tank so you can enjoy the benefits of both needs in one water storage tank.

A detention tank is needed when existing stormwater infrastructure does not prove sufficient. Typically, a detention tank slows down the fast fall of rainwater from your roof and its entry into the stormwater under the streets. 

In new areas, the stormwater drains have been engineered to permit the run-off of rainwater from the street. In older areas, because of the rise in a number of buildings, it places extra pressure on infrastructure and councils often need detention systems to solve this problem.

For instance, if you have a 200 m square of roof space and you get a downpour of 5 mm, there will be a collection of around 1000 litres of water in the roof. Typically, this 1000 litres of water will all go rushing into the stormwater system in just a few minutes. 

But this can spell disaster if drains are already filled up to capacity. In case your property features a detention tank, the water comes off the roof into the tank and then drains out slowly (through outlet orifice) into the stormwater drains. Based on what has been specified, the water may take several hours to flow into the drains.

The sizes of the tanks and orifice outlets are engineered to permit a specific flow rate to match the needs of the area where the building is coming up. Typically, a stormwater detention tank will be empty except during times of rainfall and soon after.

In some cases, an on-site detention tank is a stand-alone tank, but mostly it is combined with a retention tank. In simple terms, a retention tank is simply a tank for storing water for a rainy day, in contrast to an OSD tank. When you combine the two, you will gain a 3000-litre tank, in which you use the bottom 2000 litre for your garden and toilets and top 1000 litres for detention.

When you buy an OSD tank from a leading water storage tank company, you can be assured of a high-quality product. Their detention tanks will be made of high strength concrete and designed to be easily installed, robust and seamless.

In certain places, hard surfaces such as roofs and pavements imply a rise in speed and volume of stormwater run-off. This is of grave concern to homeowners, property owners and companies because of the risk of flooding. It is well-known that the capacity of existing stormwater drainage systems can be limited. OSD tanks are a mandatory part of planning and development.

OSD tanks are created to drastically solve the issue of risk of flooding. Search online for a leading manufacturer who can supply you with a high-quality on-site detention tank and explore your options today.