3 tanks, 2 dams, 1 potential spring and a nearby aquifer

In concrete terms, we have access to 70,000 litres of rainwater - a reassuring thought when you've just turned your back on the luxury of town water in exchange for a 6 acre slice of rural heaven.

However our three overflowing tanks, though in good working order, are slightly dilapidated and will no doubt one day need replacing. Plus the water coming from one of the tanks is pretty mucky.

But we were thrilled when we jumped on top of our biggest 30,000 litre tank, removed the concrete slab and dipped an empty bottle into what appeared to be crystal clear water.

Former owners of our property also say one of the 2 dams has never run dry, and always suspected the presence of a spring.

And if things get really desperate, we could fork out $12,000 to drill down to the aquifer and install a bore water pump... but that just seems like stealing to me.

We're just chuffed by the thought of collecting our own rainwater and living off that. Sure, thousands of people already rely on rainwater, I know, but for us it's one step closer to self-sufficiency - and that's an encouraging thought for us newbie ruralites.