Water totes, matched to the water they'll hold

Tote or vertical tank?

A vertical poly tank is made to stand outside and hold water. An IBC tote was made to carry liquids and then got a second life. The tote moves on a pallet jack, can be bought one at a time, and stands on a 48 by 40 inch pad. A tank usually holds more per dollar and stands taller on a smaller footprint.

Drinking water and everything else

We split the list in two. Drinking water: a new tote, a rebottled tote or a food-grade bottle, with a screened cap, in shade, replaced every six months. Everything else, meaning rain for the garden, irrigation, spray and wash-down: a rinsed, triple-rinsed or reconditioned bottle with a screen on every opening.

UF/IFAS puts it bluntly: do not use stored rainwater for drinking, and do not connect a rain barrel to in-home plumbing.

Sizing to a roof

One inch of rain on 1,000 square feet of roof yields about 600 gallons. A 275 gallon tote fills from roughly half an inch on that roof, so a downspout with a single tote overflows in most summer storms. Add a second tote, a link pipe, and a place for the overflow to go. The roof catch table works the numbers.

Setting up the tote you bought

On the day the tote arrives, check the plate, the cap and the valve before anything goes in. Flush it with clean water, drain it through the valve, and smell it. Set it on the pad you built, not on bare ground. Fit the screen. Fit the strainer if you are collecting rain. Label the cage with the date and the use. Walk away for an hour and come back to look for leaks, and photograph the tote for your records.

What to ask before you buy for water

Ask what the tote held first, in plain words. Ask whether it was rinsed and by whom. Ask how long it sat open. Ask to see the interior with a light. Ask for the valve type and the cap size, since fittings for garden hose and for pump suction differ. Ask whether you may pick it up so you can see it before paying. Ask about delivery limits for your street. Ask what happens if the tote leaks on day one. A seller who handles these questions without fuss tends to hand over a better tote.

A word on color and sunlight

White and translucent bottles let light through, which feeds algae in standing water. If you can, choose a darker bottle, or shade the tote with a screen, a fence panel or a plant. A black wrap or opaque paint on the cage side facing the sun also helps. Never paint the bottle itself with solvent-based paint, which can weaken it.

Cleaning between seasons

At the end of each wet season, drain the tote, scrub the interior with a long brush and a mild unscented soap, rinse until the water runs clear and let it dry open in shade. A yearly clean keeps the smell down and gives you a chance to inspect for cracks.