Frequently Asked Questions

Southern Arizona Rain Gutters offers systems that range from tanks as small as 200 gallons to cisterns that hold over 10,000 gallons. If we don’t have the size you are looking for we can custom design a system for you. Our first step is to visit your home or business and evaluate what type and size of system would best suit your needs.

Tanks and cisterns vary in cost. You can visit our warehouse and pick up the parts to install a small tank yourself for as little as $600. Visit our Above Ground Plastic Tanks page or Steel Culvert Cisterns page for more pricing information.

You do not have to worry about algae in a properly sealed cistern or tank, even without chlorination. That’s because without sunlight, algae cannot live. All of our systems are sealed to keep out light. Our poly tanks are UV protected and our Steel Culvert Cisterns have a steel lid that sunlight can not penetrate. Therefore, you do not need to treat the rainwater that you collect in our products.

All of our tanks and cisterns are installed with a mosquito screens at all openings and overflow valves to prevent mosquitoes from infesting your water.

Water can be stored for many weeks as long as it does not contain algae or is infested with mosquitoes. With our tanks and cisterns you do not have to worry about either of these problems and can store your water as long as needed. However, you should be regularly utilizing the water you collect. We do recommend that about every year, or when your cistern is empty, you spray the inside with a hose to clean out any sediment that may have accumulated.

No, we do not recommend that you drink or bathe in rainwater unless it has been treated to your local Health Department standards. Rainwater should rightfully be used in a way that returns the moisture to the earth such as through outside landscape irrigation or a septic system leach field.

Yes. Visit our Photo Gallery page to see examples of how some of our cisterns have been painted to either match the exterior of a home or to stand out as a decorative element. You have the option of either painting the cistern yourself or we can do it for you.

No. All the poly tanks are UV protected and fade resistant.

All of our gutters are made from either copper or aluminum. Our copper gutters have a natural patina finish and add a classic architectural design element to your home. Our aluminum gutters come in over 30 different colors including copper look alike and galvalume. These colors are guaranteed for 100 years not to fade, chip or peel.

Use our Rainwater Harvesting Calculator to determine how much water you can expect to harvest in Southern Arizona based on the square footage of your home.

Read our article about the benefits of rainwater harvesting and how it works here: