Can I use a roof water tank to supply fresh drinking water?.?

Question

And if I can, what regulations and statute must I follow in order to comply totally, either for a house or a business establishment ?.

Roof, as in the roof void........... not on top of the roof !

Roof water tank as in a tank in the roof holding water that only comes from a mains pipe. Sorry to give suvh a vague pointer to what I was after in my original question

Answer 1

Of course you can. But the tank has to be a special potable water tank.

Tank stored water suitable for drinking is found in all high rise buildings and in most hospitals.

The pressure in the water mains (in an area with good pressure) will possible get the water to the 10th floor. Then it will just dribble out of the taps. Above that, nothing.

The incoming water mains feeds into a potable water storage tank. It is then pumped into the pipework system at sufficient pressure to reach the height required.

Hospitals (and many other types of buildings) have periods of very high use when they require masses of potable water and the water mains are not big enough to supply the amount required. So a reservoir of water in a potable tank is used.

As you drive around the country you will see many stand alone water tanks mounted high on steel or concrete structures. These contain the water that is piped to the local houses. Tanked water.

All the water that comes out of taps has been stored in tanks somewhere. Even if they are giant sized underground reservoirs, they are still tanks.

The Water Suppliers cannot produce clean water to suit instantaneous demand. They produce clean water 24 hours a day and feed it to the storage reservoirs (giant tanks?).

Use Google or similar and search for potable water tanks. You should then find what you need. The suppliers should give you all the information you need to comply with the regulations.

Answer 2

No offense meant, but you and so many others never state "where" you are.

I think with even a minimal amount of research, you'll find dozens,,,or more,,,sites that will give examples of Cistern/gravity systems,,,certainly in locations that don't have the facilities for water delivered otherwise.

Definitely check codes/zoning/ rules that apply,,,as well as the structure you intend to add a storage system to.

Consider that water weighs approx 8.5 pounds per gallon, and find out what the tolerances are of the structure that might have to hole 800 plus pounds in a very localized area/footprint.

Rev. Steven

*** ADD ON: I note that other answers state a "main" Still not knowing where you are or the intended purpose I can offer proof that cistern stored water is used all over the world for ALL purposes

Answer 3

Storage cisterns in roof spaces must now comply with By-Law 30, which involves having a sealed lid and an overflow fitted with a mesh. The idea is to stop the ingress of ...you name it. The reason that this was done was, not to provide drinking water, water, that has been stored should never be drunk, dangers form Legionaries Disease and others, but a lot of bathrooms are fed solely from storage cisterns and what do you brush your teeth with? The stored water, But, no, you cannot use it to provide drinking water.

Answer 4

No of course not. In the UK where this system is used, only the kitchen tap is straight off the mains supply. The tank in the attic is to feed the hot water system and for flushing the toilets.
Would you drink water from a hole in the road?
I've never understood the reason for this crazy system. It means you have no pressure for your shower, larger diameter pipes and sanitary fittings. I think it's just something left over from the last century.

Answer 5

In the UK, the tank in the roof is nothing more than an emergency supply for toilet flushing and should never be used for drinking as it has been standing, and the tank is open to "attack" by pigeons and rodents if the top is not secured. All drinking water should come STRAIGHT off the mains supply.

Answer 6

Possibly - if by this you mean collecting rainwater.

However, there are regulations and it would need to be run through a proper filtration system if used for drinking.

You could also use (if you put the appropriate piping in) for flushing loos, running washing machine and dishwashers etc. This would not need the same level of filtration.

This would save you far more money than filtering for drinking. Cheaper to go out and buy a filter jug.

Answer 7

Drinking water (POTABLE) may only be drawn from incoming mains. Stored water is for other purposes.
When I was in the plumbing game I always ran a dedicated mains supply to the handbasin in the bathroom so that a person could get water for their pills in the middle of the nite.

Answer 8

you can but the impurities in the water may have a bad reaction when drank.... a large thin mesh gauze over the tank to prevent any thing horrible getting in the tank and a carbon filter half way down the pipe to the tap would be my minimum requirement .. and perhaps some purifying tablets in the final bucket or kettle full would be good... OK h

Answer 9

NO. Drinking water must come from a rising main. The water in your tank may be contaminated with legionalla bacteria if it is not changing regularly.

Answer 10

If the roof is clean enough you can. It is not regulations that dictate your consumption of water but the quality of the rain water that you are planning to harvest. If the rain is not spoiled by industrial smoke it is pure water that can be harvested.