The Tank It is an urban rainwater harvesting tank designed for the garden it sits in, not hidden behind it. Developed by Blender for Marley and proudly made in New Zealand, it brings water saving to existing homes through a product that doubles as a considered piece of garden design.
EXPERTISE
- Industrial Design
- Mechanical Engineering
- Design for Manufacture
- Rotational Moulding Expertise
CHALLENGE
No room to hide.
Marley set out to bring rainwater harvesting into the urban environment, where most homes are existing builds without the option of an integrated tank. The challenge was that urban tanks sit out in the open, often within a few metres of the front door, and the existing market was dominated by utilitarian rotomoulded forms that homeowners would understandably hide rather than feature.
As part of the Aliaxis group, Marley had its rotational moulding capability in-house through RX Plastics, which simplified production but did not change the central design constraint. Rotational moulding is associated with rough surfaces, warpage and loose tolerances, and producing something genuinely beautiful from the process required a partner with experience working against those defaults.
APPROACH
Form follows footprint.
The starting point was proportion. Urban gardens cannot give up a wide footprint to a water tank, so the Tank It was designed tall and slender rather than squat and broad, with wall-fixing options resolving the stability question that introduced.
Every visible surface then had to work twice. The handle allows the empty tank to be carried into position, creates a protected zone for the inlet holes, and adds structural rigidity to the body. The sweeping line across the front gives the tank visual character while breaking up the surface in a way that disguises the warpage rotational moulding tends to introduce on large flat panels. These were not decorative choices laid over an industrial form. They were the form, working from the inside out.
Beyond the silhouette, the tank had to flex around different installations. Inlet positions accommodate the existing Marley Twist downpipe diverter or direct top-fed plumbing. Outlets sit both low for tap-to-bucket use and higher for raised installations where the pressure head can run water through to a hose. A two-part design with a removable lid simplifies cleaning and, just as importantly, allows tanks to ship and stack efficiently in retail spaces where every centimetre of shelf depth has to be earned.
SOLUTION
The urban drought is over.
The Tank It is available through retailers including Bunnings and Mitre 10, complementing Marley’s existing rainwater harvesting range and giving urban homeowners a way to participate in water saving without the infrastructure investment of a new build.
Key Features:
- 316 litre capacity: Stores enough free rainwater to support regular garden watering, pool top-ups, general outdoor cleaning, and emergency household use, without taking up the footprint of a larger tank.
- Tall, space-saving form: The slender profile takes up minimal ground space and is designed to be secured against a wall or fence, making it well suited to urban gardens where space is at a premium.
- Multi-purpose integrated handle: The handle makes the empty tank easy to move into position, while also protecting the inlet holes and adding structural rigidity to the body.
- Flexible inlet and outlet options: Connect to the existing Marley Twist downpipe diverter via a standard garden hose fitting, or feed water through the top. Outlets sit both low for easy tap-to-bucket access and higher for installations on a raised platform with a hose run.
- Built for New Zealand conditions: UV-resistant material is engineered to withstand high summer UV levels and long hot days, backed by Marley’s 15-year guarantee.
- Recyclable construction: Made from recyclable plastics that can be returned to Marley at end of life, supporting closed-loop product stewardship.
The Marley Tank It is a thoughtful choice for urban homeowners who want to capture free rainwater for garden, pool, and everyday outdoor use, without sacrificing the look of their property. Combining considered industrial design with the flexibility to suit any installation, the Tank It makes water saving accessible, practical, and visible. Because saving water in the urban garden shouldn’t mean hiding the tank that does it.
