The best time to install a rainwater tank is when you don’t need it. Fitting your tank at the beginning of your wet season will ensure that you have as much water as possible to sustain you during dry.

Remember that ‘prevention is better than the cure’, so keep your gutters free from debris with a range of devices or just by cleaning them out regularly. The tank itself needs regular external inspections for leaks and an internal inspection for sludge every few years. This can be dangerous so contact a professional if you need help doing this.

As of January 2007, both Victorian and Federal Governments opposed taxes on rainwater collected in tanks.

"No consideration has ever been given to taxing rainwater tanks and, in my view, it is inconceivable that any consideration would be given to doing so in the future,” said Malcolm Turnbull, Federal Minister for Environment and Water Resources.