Rainwater HOG Frequently Asked Questions What is a Rainwater HOG? The Rainwater HOG is a multi-award-winning, long life 50 gallon vessel which connects horizontally or vertically with other HOGs to collect and store rainwater. Why the holes? HOG was the first completely flat-walled tank. Most tanks use either curved walls or corrugated ridges to strengthen the shape and prevent bulging. HOG uses the through-holes to form walls from one large side to the other, effectively bracing and structuring the rectangular shape while allowing water to flow freely within the vessel. Unlike tanks with ridges or bands, water cannot pool when HOG lies horizontally, which means that HOGs can be used vertically or horizontally or even on their long side to store water. Isn't it just a rain barrel? That depends on your definition of "rain barrel". A single HOG has the same capacity as a rain barrel, but that is where it ends. The outlet of a HOG is on the floor of the tank rather than up the side, which means HOG has more useful capacity than most rain barrels. HOG is twice as tall as most rain barrels and thus has twice the water pressure for hosing. HOG is flat -sided, and two HOGs will fit in the footprint of a single 50 gallon rain barrel. Most importantly, HOG has a durable inch wall and is designed for long life, whereas a rain barrel is usually blow molded, easily punctured, and rarely lasts more than a couple of years. We consider HOG a modular cistern, rather than a rain barrel. What is the water from the Rainwater HOG used for? Rainwater HOG is made of food grade plastic resin which means that if you fill the HOG with potable water, you can drink the water from the HOG. Because the roof of your house can be made of various materials and is often covered with plant or bird debris, rainwater is often considered non-potable. Rainwater collect in a Rainwater HOG can be used for irrigation i.e. with your existing drip system for watering plants or for hosing the car. If the rainwater is treated with a first flush diverter and appropriate filtration, the water in the HOG can be used as an emergency backup water supply. HOGs can also be plumbed back into the house for toilet flush and washing machines. In fact, rainwater is softer than most town water so is better for your clothes and does not cause scale buildup in toilets and other appliances. Why is it so small? The Rainwater HOG is a modular solution that has been designed to fit in areas that larger tanks, cisterns and rain barrels will not fit. The compact shape makes each HOG easy to transport and handle, and is designed so that a single person can carry and install a HOG system. HOGs modular design means that you can link HOGs together to get any volume you require. Our biggest installation to date is 117 HOGs storing 5,850 gallons of rainwater for toilet flush and irrigation. Who said HOG is too small??!!! What is modular? Modular means that a HOG system is expandable or reconfigurable: each HOG tank comes with the connectors and vent to join it to the next, and the connectors work whether the HOG is horizontal or vertical. The connections screw together à or apart à to make installation even easier. This means you can change your rain storage capacity as your needs change à and as rebates become available.
For example, start with four units for irrigation, then add two more HOGs when you want to wash clothes as well, or an additional HOG if you want to flush a toilet with rainwater. We have clients who have installed single units right up to others who have over 100 HOGs installed. Can I install the HOG in regions where it snows? Yes, the Rainwater HOG is made of low linear density polyethylene that can withstand temperature extremes of between -30� degree C/22� degree F to +60� degree C/140� degree F. You just need to make sure that your HOG system is "winterized". At the onset of winter, empty your HOG and divert the downspout to prevent water entering the tank. In spring, make sure you reconnect the tank again to catch your thaw!
It is also possible to bury the lower section of each HOG so that the connector hose is protected from freezing by the surrounding earth. Will the Rainwater HOG handle hot conditions? The HOG has been designed to withstand the hot Australian sun and is built with UV8 stabilization added to the resin. Unlike painted UV protection, HOG has UV8 built into its structure for rugged durability. Does it have to be installed vertically? No, the Rainwater HOG can be installed vertically or horizontally, such as under a deck or beneath the floor boards. The HOG can be installed underground or above ground, and inside a building or outside. HOG has brass connectors to allow horizontal or vertical HOGs to be screwed together.
You can also use HOG on its long side as a banquette seat/water storage system, but in order to connect the HOGs you would need to ask us for our special drill and seal connector system rather than using the brass threaded outlets. Who designed the Rainwater HOG? The Rainwater HOG was designed by Sally Dominguez. Sally was practicing architecture in Sydney, Australia when she realized the need for a small but scalable solution for rainwater rescue in urban areas. When Sally found there were no easily retrofitted, aesthetically acceptable, functional rainwater harvesting solutions on the market she decided to start from scratch and design a user-friendly, reusable, water-filled building block. This is the HOG. Why do larger capacity tanks seem to be less expensive than the HOG? Are you comparing tank only prices, or have you looked at the cost of transportation and installation as well? When comparing larger tanks to the Rainwater HOG, it is important to take into account the total cost of ownership with both solutions. HOG is designed to be inherently "greener" than its competition: it is easier to handle, transport and install, it is reusable, and it is 100% recyclable. This added durability and usability costs more upfront, but once you add delivery and especially installation, as well as maintenance (the lower outlet on HOG is virtually self cleaning) to the larger tanks the cost difference suddenly changes.
We suggest you get an "apples to apples" comparison if you cost a system over 10 or 15 years. A single HOG will last this long, but most cheap, thin-walled barrel and cistern solutions will need to be replaced at least two to three times over this period of time. Add in yearly maintenance costs for cheaper barrels, waste removal and reinstallation and HOG is miles ahead on price and value for life. Why buy a HOG when I can buy low cost rain barrels of the same size? The HOG is an architecturally designed unit that has been made of the highest quality plastics. It is visually discreet, structurally robust, UV stabilized and can be installed on any of its sides. If you are looking for a long lasting quality product which adds value to your home, and requires virtually no on-going maintenance, there is no comparison between the Rainwater HOG and a rain barrel. Are any accessories available with the Rainwater HOG? Each Rainwater HOG is supplied with a connector to join up further units and an air vent for the top of each tank. Optional accessories include a Wall Kit (to attach the HOGs to a wall) and an Inlet Outlet Kit (to stop debris from the roof getting into the tank and to allow easy access to the water from the HOGs). Can the HOG help with thermal mass? Yes, recent tests have shown that the HOG outperforms concrete when it comes to improving a building's thermal mass capabilities by more than 10%. Multi-tasking a building material for water storage plus thermal mass benefits gives HOG terrific "green" and function credentials. Does the Installation of the HOG help gain LEED credits? Yes, an independent evaluation of the Rainwater HOG has shown that you can gain up to nine LEED points by the installation of the HOG in either a new building or renovation project. What colors do the HOGs come in? The standard color for the Rainwater HOG is Olive Green. However, non-standard colors can be accommodated for orders of 20+ HOGs but this will result in a longer lead time and a slight increase in cost (via a one off fee).
We are also able to remove the lettering on HOG and even add custom patterns to the steel wall plate and to the HOG itself. Again this involves a one off setup fee. What is the lead time on receiving the HOG once ordered? There is a one to two week lead time on the delivery of the HOG following receipt of a written purchase order and payment for the tanks. As outlined above, non standard colors will add to this lead time. | 
