A rainwater tank can be a good choice for any property, but especially if your city-supplied water is often scarce or if you live in an area with a high risk of brushfires or wildfires. When choosing a rainwater tank, you might be surprised at the many options available and may assume the biggest or the cheapest is the best choice. Instead, note a few things that many homeowners overlook when it comes to buying a rainwater tank, and take care not to make the same mistakes.

How it will be used

Keeping rainwater in case of fires is good, but you could also use the rainwater you collect to water your lawn, water cattle or livestock, or even wash your car or house. You may only be thinking of having extra water on hand for emergencies, but being able to use rainwater for these other purposes can mean reducing your water bill every month. It might be helpful to actually make a list of things you'll use the rainwater for so you can get the right capacity of tank.

Average rainfall

While you want to get a rainwater tank that is big enough to hold all the rainwater you will need for its many uses, you also need to consider how much rainfall you might get in your area. If you live in a desert area or any location that only gets a few inches or centimetres of rain every month, you don't need a bigger tank no matter how much you'd like to use that rainwater! Check your local weather website to note your area's average rainfall and compare that to rainwater tanks. Then get something that is just big enough to hold what you need, without getting something that is so large that your area's rainwater will never fill it.

Material and weight

Will you need to move your rainwater tank around once it's full, or will you use a pump and hoses to harvest the rainwater? If you plan on moving the tank, you need to consider the weight of the water in addition to the weight of the tank itself. A poly or plastic tank will usually be lighter than a steel or metal tank, and they may be easier for you to move to the driveway or to another part of your property. Even if you plan on using your tractor or a trailer to move the tank, you need to consider its weight when full and ensure you don't get something that will be too heavy for your equipment or for you to use easily when you're ready to access that water.