The South East Queensland region (SEQ) has suffered from a long ‘green drought', a period in which it may rain, but rainfall does not replenish water storages. The one million homes of the urban population in SEQ are supplied principally by dams. Population growth in the region is significant, with 50,000 people projected to settle here each year for the next twenty years.

Yet regional rainfall is of good quality and volume. With adequate catchment area and storage, rainfall alone is sufficient to supply about half the average household demand for water. Most people in SEQ are acutely aware of the imperative to conserve water. As an observer and scholar of rainwater harvesting, I believe it is no longer a situation that requires 'community education about the need to conserve', but rather, assistance in wading through the massive range of options and regulations to determine what is best for your own household.

Many households have installed rainwater tanks. There are good environmental, economic and social arguments for this, for example, the recent Marsden Jacob report shows that, environmental benefits aside, rainwater tanks are economically competitive with, and delay the need for massively engineered alternatives like dams or desalination.

Rainwater harvesting (RH) is distinct from desalinisation, water recycling or construction of new dams which augment the mains supply and attractive for several reasons. It can (a) assure an independent household supply during mains water restrictions, that is (b) though somewhat dependent on end use and maintenance, usually of acceptable quality for household needs and (c) renewable at acceptable volumes despite forecast climate change (CSIRO, 1996). It produces beneficial externalities, (d) reducing peak stormwater run off and processing costs. RH systems are (e) simple to install and operate, (f) running costs are negligible and (g) convenient by providing water at the point of consumption.

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (1996) Climate Change Scenarios for the Australian Region. Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Atmospheric Research, Aspendale, Victoria, Australia, 8 pp.