Once a rainwater reuse system is installed, keeping it reliable comes down to regular inspection and following the Operation & Maintenance guidelines provided with the tank. Very little of it is difficult, and most of it is looking rather than doing. Promax includes O&M guides with every tank, and they are also available for download from each product page. For design references and system configuration, use the Slimline Specification Tool and the Underground Specification Tool.
Routine Maintenance
The Operation & Maintenance Guide outlines the key checks to ensure performance and longevity. Routine inspections help prevent minor issues from becoming major problems, and the full list takes a few minutes. Recommended checks include:
- Tank stability: ensure the tank remains level and supported, with no erosion around the base.
- Lid security: confirm the lid remains properly fitted and weather-tight.
- Inlet and outlet fittings: inspect for leaks or movement.
- Pump inlet screen: clear any accumulated debris.
- Sediment buildup: if flow reduces, have sediment removed with a vacuum truck.
- After heavy rain: check inlet strainers, overflow and pump housing.
Heavy rain is the useful moment to inspect, because it is when the system is working hardest and any weakness shows itself. Promax includes an O&M guide with every Slimline Tank, so contact the team if you require a copy.
Safety and Signage
Rainwater reuse systems supply non-potable water. This must be clearly indicated, and it must stay indicated long after everyone who installed the system has forgotten which pipe is which. Signage is for the person who was not there on the day: a future owner, a visiting plumber, a child with a hose.
- Label all outlets "Non-Potable Water - Do Not Drink".
- Use lilac-coloured pipework for all non-potable water lines.
- Switch off power before servicing the pump or changeover device.
- Do not enter the tank unless trained and properly equipped for confined-space entry.
The Promax Non-Potable Water Sticker is made for outlet labelling. The lilac pipework convention does the same job inside the wall, where no label survives.
Troubleshooting the Pump
Common system issues are usually straightforward to diagnose and resolve, and pump faults have a small number of likely causes worth ruling out in order before you call anyone.
If the pump will not start, the cause is generally no power supply, a float switch issue, or a thermal trip. Check the power, reset the pump, and verify there is an adequate water level. If the pump runs but no water arrives, the inlet is blocked or the tank is empty: clear the debris, or wait for rainfall to restore the tank water. If the pump cycles frequently, turning on and off repeatedly, look for a minor leak, a loss of pressure, or debris inside the controller, then inspect the connections, repair any leaks and clean the filters and valves. Frequent cycling is worth fixing rather than living with, because the pump is starting far more often than it needs to.
Troubleshooting Flow, Pressure and Outages
Low pressure at the outlets points to a restricted filter or undersized pipework. Clean the filters, check the changeover device, and confirm the pipe sizing. The timing tells you which it is: pressure that was disappointing from the first day suggests pipework, while pressure that has fallen away gradually suggests a filter.
No water during a power outage is not a fault. A powered changeover device requires electricity, so when the power goes, the supply goes with it. If outage resilience is required, a passive, pressure-based changeover device is the answer, and that is a decision best made at specification rather than during the first storm. Our guide to selecting the right pump and changeover device covers the trade-off.
Installer and Owner Handover
A proper handover ensures the homeowner knows how their system works and how to look after it. It is also the cheapest thing an installer can do to avoid a callback, and it is usually what separates a system that gets maintained from one that is ignored until it fails.
- Provide the Operation & Maintenance Guide.
- Include the system plumbing schematic used during installation.
- Record the maintenance schedule and warranty documentation.
- Confirm the system includes a dual-check valve for backflow compliance.
- Demonstrate the automatic changeover process and how to recognise pump restarts.
The plumbing schematic is the one nobody wants until the day they urgently need it. For the compliance side of the system, see plumbing layout and council compliance.
Long-Term Care
Following routine inspection and maintenance supports a long service life for the tank and pump. Homeowners should maintain a simple log of cleaning and checks, especially following extended dry or wet periods, which are the two stretches that ask the most of a system. The log does not need to be elaborate. A date and a note of what was checked is enough, and it makes patterns visible that a single inspection never would: a filter cleaned twice this year and four times last year is telling you something. It also gives the next owner of the house somewhere to start. For support or system advice, talk to the Promax team.