When families build a house, they usually obsess over room layouts, the kitchen, the bathroom and the staircase, but the water tank sitting on the roof is often placed wherever a bit of empty space happens to be available. Vastu shastra, however, lays down fairly specific rules about where that tank should stand. The belief is that a tank placed in the wrong corner can raise tension among family members and even trigger money troubles, while one positioned correctly helps keep the household calm and its energy positive.
The northeast corner suits a water source, not the tank itself
According to Mahant Kameshwaranand Vedantacharya of the Udasin Sadhu Ashram in Ballabgarh, water has always held a special place in Vastu shastra. For a borewell or any other water source inside the house, the stretch between east and north, the northeast corner, is considered ideal, since that corner is thought to bring good results both for daily worship and for anything connected with water. The rooftop tank, though, cannot be judged by the same yardstick, because it sits at height and its weight has to be supported by the structure, which is why a separate rule applies to it.
Corners to avoid altogether for the tank
The mahant believes that placing the tank in the northeast or southeast corner tends to stir up friction and disagreements within the family. According to him, the southwest corner is the best spot for the tank. In homes where that exact corner isn't available, the tank can simply be placed along the western side instead, and Vastu treats that as an entirely acceptable alternative. Deciding on the tank's position while the house is still on the drawing board, rather than after construction, saves a lot of trouble later.
A fix for tanks already built in the wrong spot
In many homes the tank's position was fixed long ago, and tearing it down to rebuild it in another direction is neither easy nor practical. For such cases, Mahant Kameshwaranand Vedantacharya suggests a simpler workaround, painting the existing tank white, or choosing a white tank from the start. He notes that besides white, yellow is also considered an auspicious colour for a water tank in Vastu, and adopting either of these colours can significantly soften the effect of a wrongly placed tank. In other words, even where changing direction isn't possible, changing the colour can still reduce the flaw.
White colour paired with the right direction brings prosperity
Vastu belief holds that when the tank sits in the south or west and is also painted white, that combination proves especially beneficial for the household. Such homes are said to see financial strain and mental stress ease gradually, family life stay peaceful and prosperous, and the blessings of Goddess Lakshmi remain with the house. That is precisely why homeowners are advised to pay attention to both the tank's direction and its colour while getting the roof built.
