Local government remains connected to people living in communities. A local government makes policies for improvement in governance and facilities for the local population. Its policies are also in line with the need to make lives better for the common man. In the case of using water tanks, local government can forbid only when these tanks pose a threat to the community and members of a family using it. Therefore, it is better to look at some facts about water tanks to find the answer as to how the local council can forbid people from using them. Before getting a final say about it, it is better to investigate some facts regarding it.
It may depend upon Water Availability:
There is no strict law governing the use of water tanks. However, a local council may issue guidelines in areas with perfect and well-established infrastructure. It may be the case in urban areas where people have easy access to the Scheme Drinking Water. This water may be used for any type of use at home. However, in rural areas or other communities having low or no access to scheme drinking water, the local council may not prevent them from using water tanks. It reveals that there is the only issue of certainty and availability. If water is continuously available to a community, then forbidding the use of water tanks may be a possibility.
Design and Effects of Water Tanks:
Water tanks have a particular design, and the design and material should not do any harm to water stored in a water tank. Water is a very sensitive commodity and it may be contaminated easily through several reasons. Water may be harmful to drink, irrigation, and domestic use if it has plenty of bacteria, algae, viruses, high saturation of minerals and gas, and changes in pH. The material used for building rain water tanks and water pumps, and possible contamination in water within water tanks may lead the local council to issue guidelines. Despite these facts that water may get contaminated in water tanks, the local council can only issue guidelines. Water tanks may contain rainwater, bore water, or water obtained from the water carting service. In all cases, the design of water tanks should be friendly to water so that any disease may not spread. In the case of using poly rain water tanks, water tanks may affect underground water levels that may go lower. If a large number of people start storing water in water tanks, then, water demand may increase very much. It would need more water; as a result, it may affect the water level in the area.
Final Opinion:
Above points on whether the local council may forbid you from using water tanks reveal that it is difficult for the council to pose sanctions on people. It cannot forbid in any case if there is no scheme drinking water in the community. However, in other cases, it may not forbid them to store water in water tanks because it is very right for residents to use water as they want. However, it may set guidelines on the use of water and the design of a water tank. If the community has a scarcity of water and a water tank may affect the balance of availability of water, it may set alert to the council. Bore water may affect the underground water level, and the local council has to consider this aspect. It is obvious that a local council may not legislate if there is no state or federal level legislation in this regard. However, it can issue guidelines for residents on the careful use of water tanks.