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Terms and conditions: NSW rainwater tank rebate

The following terms and conditions apply to the NSW Government's Rainwater Tank Rebate Program. The applicant should read them carefully before signing the application form. If you are a Sydney Water customer you need to apply for the NSW Rainwater Tank Rebate on a Sydney Water application form. Contact Sydney Water on 13 20 92 for details.

Application

Any application for a rebate must be submitted on an official 'Rainwater Tank Rebate application form'and must be approved by the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW (DECCW) before a rebate can be issued.

Eligibility

To be eligible for a rebate, the applicant must be an owner of the residential property where the tank is installed, complete an official 'Rainwater Tank Rebate application form' and attach a copy of the receipt(s) for the purchase and installation of the rainwater tank(s). The receipt(s) must be in the applicant's name. DECCW must receive the application no later than 5:00pm, 30 September 2011. The applicant must have installed a rainwater tank(s) that:

• was paid for in full and installed on or after 1 July 2007 and on or before 30 June 2011
• has a minimum total capacity of 2,000 litres (note: this capacity must be reserved for rainwater only and excludes any capacity
• reserved for top-up with town water supply)
• is new
• is covered by a minimum 12 month warranty
• is installed in New South Wales for residential use only
• is used solely for the collection and storage of rainwater for use on the site (rainwater is water collected from roof guttering and downpipes)
• is connected to an appropriate roof area
• meets all relevant standards, the NSW Code of Practice for Plumbing and Drainage, backflow prevention and local council and water utility requirements
• has all associated plumbing work completed by a licensed plumber
• is not a stormwater retention tank(s) that is designed only for stormwater management. This type of tank is not eligible for this rebate. Rainwater tanks which store water solely for firefighting purposes are also ineligible.

The total sum of payments you are receiving (from local, state and Australian government rebates) cannot exceed the total cost of your installed rainwater tank(s).

BASIX

Rainwater tanks installed to comply with BASIX (the Building Sustainability Index) for new homes, major renovations or a pool installation are not eligible for a rebate. Visit www.basix.nsw.gov.au for more information.

Backflow prevention

Your rainwater tank installation must meet the requirements of the NSW Code of Practice for Plumbing and Drainage (2006). The code specifies that where a rainwater tank installation has been designed and installed to allow a connection with the town water supply, the following backflow prevention is required:

a. Containment protection

A containment protection device is a backflow prevention device installed at the water meter(s) at the property boundary to prevent backflow to the town water supply from within the property. This device is required on all properties where a rainwater tank has a top-up from or interconnection to the towns water supply. Table 1 outlines the specific requirements for containment protection devices.

Table 1: Containment protection requirements for residential properties

Rainwater Tank Location	Meter size(mm)	Type of backflow prevention
Above ground	= or >20	Dual Check Valve (combined with meter? (non testable device)
Fully or partially buried	= or >20	= or > 20 Dual Check Valve with Atmospheric Port (where this is not available in the required size, a testable backflow prevention device must be installed)

 

 

 

 

To assist residents to comply with this requirement, your local water utility may provide a new water meter with a backflow prevention device. Contact your local water utility for further details.

Please note that applicants with properties where the water meter is more than 25mm, regardless of whether the rainwater tank is installed above or below ground, will be responsible for the installation of an appropriate backflow prevention device, which must be fitted by a licensed plumber. This may be the case with some medium density or high rise properties. Contact your local water utility for further details.

Applicants with properties on the town water supply that don't have a water meter on the property (this includes properties that share a water meter with other dwellings), should contact the local water utility to confirm their requirements.

b. Zone protection

A zone protection device is a backflow prevention device installed at the connection to specific sections of a plumbing system within a building or facility. This device is required when there is an interconnection between the rainwater tank service and the town water service supplied from a local water utility. Table 2 outlines the specific requirements for zone protection devices.

Table 2: Zone protection requirements for residential properties

Rainwater Tank Location	Meter size(mm)	Type of backflow prevention
Above ground	= or >20	Dual Check Valve (non-testable device)
Fully or partially buried	= or >20	Dual Check Valve (non-testable device)

 

 

 

Water utility approval

When your rainwater tank is connected to the town water supply, the local water utility may need to inspect the rainwater tank to ensure that the installation meets their requirements. On receipt of your rebate application, we will notify your local water utility that a tank has been installed at your property. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that the rainwater tank and installation meets local water utility requirements.

Ongoing operation of tank

The rainwater tank must operate on the property for a period of five (5) years after installation. On provision of reasonable notice from DECCW, the applicant will allow an authorised inspector access to the rainwater tank to conduct audits to ensure its continued operation.

Research

For the first five (5) years following installation, rebate recipients may be asked to participate in DECCW research about water efficiency and rainwater tanks.

Sole rebate

DECCW will only issue one (1) rainwater tank rebate per property.

Refund of rebate

Applicants may be required to repay the rebate if they make a false declaration and/or any of these terms and conditions are found to have been breached in the first five (5) years after installation of the rainwater tank.

Program changes

DECCW reserves the right, at its sole and absolute discretion and at any time, to change any or all of the terms and conditions of the rebate program or to cancel the rebate program prior to 30 June 2011. Applications must be received by DECCW prior to any published termination date for the rebate program. The terms and conditions are available on DECCW's website www.environment.nsw.gov.au.

Liability

The applicant acknowledges and agrees that as far as the law permits, DECCW (and its successors) accepts no liability in respect to any claim, cause of action or loss or damage arising out of, or in relation to, any rainwater tank, rainwater tank system or the consumption of any water from such rainwater tank or system that is the subject of funding assistance. The applicant agrees that they will indemnify and keep indemnified DECCW from any claim or liability arising out of, or in relation to, the rainwater tank system that is the subject of this application to the extent that any claim or liability is not caused by DECCW's negligence or breach of this application or any other term implied by law.

Payment

Payment of approved rebates will be by cheque only and made payable to the property owner as identified in the application form.

Privacy notice

DECCW collects and manages the personal information you provide in accordance with the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998. DECCW collects this information to determine whether your application is eligible for a rebate. Your personal information will be provided to the Australian Government as a matter of course to ensure that the total of government benefits you receive does not exceed the total cost of your installed rainwater tank.

Information collected by DECCW may also be disclosed to the Department of Planning for the purpose of checking the eligibility of your application against any BASIX requirements for your property and to DECCW's banking service provider for payment of the rebate. Your details will usually be provided to your local council or water utility for the purpose of enabling inspection of your new rainwater tank installation.

The provision of this information is voluntary, however DECCW will not issue a rebate to an applicant who refuses to provide information or agree to the disclosure of their details to the above agencies. You have the right to access and correct any of your personal information once we have collected it, at anytime.

If the information provided by the Australian Government, Department of Planning and/or councils indicates that you are not eligible, then DECCW will not pay the rebate or may seek reimbursement of any rebate paid.

For further information or enquiries regarding privacy or access to your information, contact an FOI/Privacy Officer on 9995 6080 or 9995 6497 or in writing to FOI/Privacy Officer, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW, PO BOX A290, SYDNEY SOUTH NSW 1232.

 

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