Fat Is The New Slim In Rainwater Harvesting…

Australian company chooses North Carolina for launch of innovative rain harvesting product.

PRLog (Press Release) – Sep 09, 2009 – In these tough economic times there are some surprising industries which are still in steady growth – such as the rainwater harvesting sector.  The growing water issues in the Southeast has lead to increasing interest amongst homeowners in capturing the rain that falls on their property.

Which is exactly why Australian company Waterwall Designs has brought their contemporary Fatboy 650 gallon rainwater tank to the U.S.  The company specializes in slim line tanks for urban homes, where finding the  space to put a cistern can often be an issue.

Metropolitan areas of Australia have been in severe drought for many years, and the use of rain tanks in city areas increased dramatically over the last five years.  The Waterwall management team, Gail Davidson and Mitch O’Sullivan, saw an opening for a more up-to-date solution.

“People have become more and more house proud, and put a lot of effort into the way their homes look.  We believe there is no reason for their rain harvesting system to be an eyesore.  We have always focussed on the dual needs of saving water and saving space, whilst keeping a contemporary look.” says Davidson.

The first tank they designed was the only modular rainwater tank in the world that can be used as a fence – a product they will be bringing to the U.S in the coming year.  The Waterwall Freestanding tanks are interlocking panels that are engineer certified to be used as a boundary fence or garden divider.

The company has teamed with rotational moulding manufacturers, EnviCor Incorporate, in Smithfield, NC to produce their tanks here.  The two organizations first met last year and discovered a very similar approach to business.

“It is extremely daunting to start a business in another country – and particularly a market as large and sophisticated as the U.S.A.!  However the  team at EnviCor have made it very easy.  And most importantly, they have the same straight forward, customer-driven approach that we have, so we hit it off right away.” says Davidson.

“We are excited to be a part of the US launch of the Fatboy, it is truly a break-through product for rain water harvesting”, says Steve Arnold, President & CEO of EnviCor Incorporated.  “The Fatboy will enable US consumers to take their water conservation efforts to the next level.”

The new tank has been readily accepted by many rain harvesting businesses.  Waterwall has donated a Fatboy tank to the recreation centre at the City of Decatur, GA as part of the American Rain Catchment Systems Association [ARCSA] annual conference program; the tank will be installed during a demonstration for plumbers and rain harvest specialists.

But why is it a ‘Fatboy’? “It was the name we started calling the tank as we were designing it, and it stuck.  At the time our other tanks were even slimmer, so it was all relative… it’s a very affectionate nickname!” Davidson quips.

The Waterwall directors believe there will be a boom in rain harvesting products in drier areas of the U.S. in the coming years.  “Similar to what we have experienced in Australia – conditions that used to be considered a drought just become the ongoing weather patterns.  It is very unlikely we will return to the average rainfalls of previous years, and saving water will become a way of life.  Like recycling, once you make the mental shift and integrated it into your day-to-day living it is not that difficult.”

And as that growth occurs, homes, businesses – and the environment – across the drier States will be the winners.