The DownPipe Loch from Barloch Industries can help residents to harness the 'lost' water, trap it and divert it to where it is needed most. This water can be used around the house, the garden bed, the lawn, the pool or the water tank, thus complimenting 'the cycle of life'.

The removal of water from the roofline into the stormwater system will upset the natural balance. This is what contributes to the severe cracking which appears in many homes.

Following is an example of statistics released by the Architects’ Association that highlight the percentage of Melbourne homes with cracks:

  • Carlton North - 75%
  • Albury - 70%
  • Collingwood - 65%
  • Keilor East - 64%
  • Heidelberg - 61%
The DownPipe Loch will be useful to reduce the ‘cracking’ that occurs in concrete structures due to the prolonged drought. This can be achieved by connecting a hose to the Loch and running it around the house or fence line with small drip holes inserted into it and blocking the end of the hose. In heavy rainfall any excess will travel through the overflow of the DownPipe Loch.

Filling up water tanks through the use of the DownPipe Loch is of great value as many people are restricted as to where they can place a tank on their property since a tank should be placed close to a downpipe; the farther the tank is placed from the downpipe the more expense involved in materials to accommodate the overflow.

The DownPipe Loch enables residents to locate the water tank anywhere on the property, placing the Lochs on the downpipes slightly higher than the intake portal of the tank and connecting a hose to the large outlet on the Loch. This hose can then be run along the ground or fence line and be brought up into the intake of the tank. The water will then gravity feed into the tank. When the tank is filled, any excess will travel through the overflow of the Loch and into the storm water system.

There is no need for any other connections to accommodate the overflow and when the tank is filled, the 2 smaller hose fitting connections can be further utilised if more water is required such as pools, garden beds and lawn.

In South Queensland for instance, it is now law that to have either a tank or rainwater diverters connected before residents are allowed to top up their swimming pool. This initiative should be adopted by all states.

By utilising Barloch’s DownPipe Lochs, all of the afforded rainfall can be captured with any overflow being sent straight to the stormwater system. With diverters in place, residents now have the choice of diverting water to wherever and whenever they choose.