Old Rainwater Tank Removal: A Guide for Adelaide Homeowners

Rusted-out galvanised tanks, split poly tanks, wobbly timber stands — plenty of backyards across the north-east have an old rainwater tank that’s well past its use-by date. Getting rid of one is usually straightforward, but there are a few things to check before it comes out.

Before you remove a tank: three checks

1. Is it connected to the house?

Many tanks just feed a garden tap. Others are plumbed into the house to supply toilets, the laundry or the hot water system, sometimes through a pump and a mains switching device. If your tank is connected to anything inside the house, have a licensed plumber disconnect it and cap the pipes before removal, so you don’t lose water to a toilet or laundry.

2. Is it required?

Under South Australian rules, new homes approved since 1 July 2006 must have an additional water supply — usually a rainwater tank — plumbed to a toilet, a water heater, or all the cold water outlets in the laundry. The same rules can apply to some extensions.

If your home was built after mid-2006 and you’re removing the only plumbed-in tank, talk to your council or a plumber first. Replacing an old tank with a new one is usually fine; removing it without a replacement may not be.

3. What’s it sitting on?

Tanks sit on a concrete slab, a sand or crusher dust pad, pavers, or a timber or steel stand. Decide whether the base is staying (for a replacement tank) or coming out too.

Step 1: Drain it — usefully

A full tank holds a lot of water, so don’t waste it:

• Water the garden — run a hose to trees, lawn or beds over a few days.
• Fill buckets and watering cans for pot plants.
• Avoid flooding your own or your neighbour’s yard, and don’t let sludge run into stormwater drains.

The bottom of an old tank usually holds sludge and rotting leaves, so wear gloves and old clothes.

Step 2: Disconnect

• Disconnect inlet pipes from the gutters and downpipes, and make sure rainwater is redirected to stormwater so it doesn’t pool against the house.
• Have a plumber deal with any connection to the house, and an electrician with any pump that’s hard-wired.
• Remove taps, overflow pipes and fittings.

Step 3: Remove the tank

How it comes out depends on what it’s made of:

• Galvanised steel tanks are cut or flattened and go for scrap metal recycling.
• Poly (plastic) tanks are lighter but bulky — they’re usually cut into sections to fit a load.
• Fibreglass tanks are cut into sections for disposal.
• Concrete tanks are much heavier and may need breaking up — a bigger job that’s worth getting assessed first.

Old tanks are also a common source of mosquito breeding and a hiding spot for spiders and snakes, so take care when moving one that’s been sitting for years.

Step 4: Remove the stand or base

• Timber stands are dismantled and the timber removed.
• Steel stands are unbolted or cut and go for metal recycling.
• Sand pads and pavers can be levelled, removed or left for a new tank.
• Concrete slabs take more work to remove — let us know when you get a price.

Asbestos check: some older tank stands, enclosures and nearby structures used fibro sheeting. If you see grey cement-like sheeting from before the mid-1980s, don’t break it. See our shed demolition and asbestos guide.

Can I just put it out for hard waste?

Usually not. Council hard waste has size and weight limits — Tea Tree Gully won’t take anything longer than 1.5m or heavier than 50kg, and NAWMA (Salisbury, Playford and Gawler) needs items to be liftable by two people. Most tanks are too big, even empty. Our council hard waste vs private removal guide covers the limits.

Can an old tank be reused?

Sometimes. A sound poly tank with no splits can find a second life on a farm, in a veggie patch or as a garden water store — try listing it locally before it’s removed. Rusted-through galvanised tanks are best recycled for scrap metal.

Replacing your tank?

If a new tank is going in, plan the removal so the base can be prepared and the plumbing reconnected straight away. Talk to your tank supplier about the size of slab or pad they need, so you know what to keep when the old one comes out.

How we remove water tanks

Water tanks and stands are a regular part of our light demolition work across the north-east. We cut down and load out the tank, dismantle the stand, take the metal to recycling and leave the area clear. We’re backed by qualified plumbing experience, so we’ll tell you straight if a connection needs a plumber before we start.

Here’s what one customer said after we removed two tanks from her backyard:

“James quickly accepted the task I posted which was to remove two rainwater tanks from my backyard. He was easy to deal with and did the job for me quickly and efficiently. James is polite, punctual and communicates well.” — Anne R., Google review

If the yard needs a tidy-up afterwards — weeds, garden beds, mulch — our property maintenance service can finish the job.

Get a price for tank removal

Send us a photo of the tank and stand, tell us what it’s made of and whether it’s connected to the house, and we’ll give you an upfront price. We cover suburbs right across the north-east, from St Agnes and Modbury Heights to Salisbury Heights and Craigmore — see our areas we service.