When building in Bushfire prone areas, all developments are legally required to provide an adequate water supply for firefighting purposes under the Planning for Bush Fire Protection 2019 (PBP 2019) document.
Options for providing a water supply are:
- Reticulated water (water from piped network), where available.
- Where no reticulated water is available, a static water supply (SWS) must be provided. SWSs include dams, water tanks (concrete or metal) and swimming pools.
Static water supplies must include a connection for firefighting purposes located within the IPA or non hazard side and away from the structure; a 65mm Storz outlet with a ball valve is fitted to the outlet. This enables fire fighters to easily gain access to drain water from the tank in a fire emergency.
A Storz connection can be included in the purchase of a new water tank as an optional upgrade. If you have an existing water tank, it is possible to fit the tank with a 65mm Storz outlet with a ball valve. The procedure is outlined below.
Image via H2O Rainwater Tanks
fITTING A STORZ OUTLET TO AN EXISTING WATER TANK
IMPORTANT: A water tank is considered a ‘confined space’. There are a number of unique risks associated with working in enclosed areas. As a result, there are specific legislative requirements that govern working in/on confined spaces.
Whoever is carrying out the installation must have a Confined Space Ticket. Â Please note that if hiring a plumber, a Confined Space Ticket is not standard for all plumbers. At Curran, we have confined space certified plumbers that are available to work on tanks and any other enclosed structures.Â
The tank must be empty before installing the Storz outlet with ball valve. You may choose to drain the tank, use it up or transfer the water elsewhere.
A hole will need to be drilled into the base of the tank, on the IPA or non-hazard side away from the structure, to fit the valve. The hole must be positioned above the sludge layer to avoid debris from making its way into the water supply. Before proceeding with drilling, the integrity of the tank’s structure will need to be considered to ensure no damage is caused as a result.
The Storz outlet can then be fitted directly into the tank.
