Having water tanks good only when it rains

I REFER to “Build rainwater harvesting system for new houses” (The Star, April 17). Australia suffered more than a decade of severe drought when harsh water rationing was introduced and abusers of the rules were severely penalised.

Rainwater tanks were a condition of planning approvals for residential construction. In desperate haste, one state government constructed a multi-billion dollar desalination plant to convert sea water for household use.