Collecting water from your roof
If you collect roof run-off in a tank and use it for drinking water, you’ll need to be careful about how you clean and maintain the roof. You’ll also need to steer clear of some roofing materials.
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When you’re washing the roof, disconnect the downpipes so you don’t send contaminated water into your tank.
Products not suitable for collecting drinking water are:
- Any lead-based products.
- Asbestos cement.
- Wood treated with CCA (copper, chrome and arsenic) or LOSP (light organic solvent preservative).
- Bituminous materials.
The following products need washing or weathering before they are suitable:
- New, untreated cedar.
- Newly applied acrylic roof paint.
- Fibre cement products.
The following products can be used straight away (as long as they are clean):
- Galvanised steel.
- Clay tiles.
- Factory-painted steel or tiles.
- Zinc.
- Stainless steel.
- Mineral fibre asphalt.
- Slate.
- Butyl (although black butyl rubber will need regular maintenance and cleaning as it weathers).
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