How ‘smart’ rainwater tanks can help keep platypus habitat healthy

By Kathryn Russell, Research Fellow, Urban Stream Geomorphology, The University of Melbourne
Alison Miller, Visiting Fellow, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne
Darren Bos, Senior Research Fellow (Knowledge Broker) School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne
Rhys Coleman, Honorary Researcher, School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne
Tim D Fletcher, Professor of Urban Ecohydrology, The University of Melbourne

A growing number of new housing developments feature a little known but powerful bit of tech: smart rainwater tanks.

That’s where the rainwater tank next to each house is fitted with a little computer to open and close a valve that releases water. Software can tell the valve to open to let some water out when, for instance, a storm is coming and you don’t want the tank to overflow. Or, it can keep it closed when you want to capture rainfall to boost household water supplies.

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