The super hot temperatures of Australian summers may affect your water tank and may drive up your water temps unnecessarily. Whether you are using your tank to supply water to your home or just for irrigation, you likely don't want piping hot water in your tank. Luckily, there are several different ways you can prevent your water from getting too hot.

1. Position the Tank in a Cool Spot

If you haven't gotten your water tank yet, you should try to identify the coolest spot possible for it. Under a shady tree can be ideal. Alternatively, watch the shadows during the day and position the water tank in a spot where there house casts a long shadow.

If you already have your water tank in place, you may want to plant a shade tree nearby or even consider hanging a sunshade over the water tank. 

2. Paint the Water Tank a Light Colour

Dark colours absorb sunlight more easily than light colours, and by extension, your water will stay cooler if it's in a light coloured tank. Keep this in mind when you're in the market for a new tank, or consider painting your existing tank. Painting concrete water tanks is pretty straightforward, but if you have a plastic tank, you may need to invest in special paint and rough up the plastic with sandpaper to encourage the paint to stick.

3. Make a Calcium Carbonate Coating

In lieu of painting, you may want to consider making your own calcium carbonate coating. Calcium carbonate is the substance found in materials such as limestone and chalk, and it has natural cooling abilities.

Mix together three kilograms of powdered calcium carbonate and enough water to form a paste. Then stir in about one and a half kilograms of white glue, and paint this mixture over your water tank. On the next day, cover any patchy areas — if you don't have any mix left, you can make more. Just remember to use two parts calcium carbonate to one part glue and water as needed.

4. Add a Water Chiller

Just as you can use a hot water heater to heat up cold water that enters your home, you can also use a chiller to cool down water coming from a hot tank into your home. There are a variety of chillers on the market, and your water tank installer may be able to recommend one.

5. Time Your Water Use Strategically

If you can't embrace any of the above ideas, you may want to look at when you use the water. In most cases, water will heat up throughout the day, and it may be hottest during the later parts of the day. To avoid that, consider scheduling most of your water use for the early morning, when the water tank is still cool from the evening before.