Chookie wrote:

You wouldn't think Sydney rainwater would be fit to drink, but Michael Mobbs'
wife is a scientist and insisted that their rainwater be regularly tested for
this sort of stuff as they live in one of the 'innerest' of inner Sydney
suburbs (Chippendale). They've never had a problem AFAIK, but they do use a
first-flush diverter.

Unfortunately Mobbs testing =/= all of Sydney testing.

Personally, stuck out here in the wilderness ofthe SW housing estates[1]
I am not too worried about it all. We rarely get NW winds, from where
the aluminium stacks are and I figure all those certified safe food
stuffs are almost guaranteed to be loaded with higher levels of
pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, toxic colouring etc, etc, etc than
bad stuff in the rainwater I collect.

Mry real rainwater problem is just having sufficent space to install
worthwhile size of tank.

[1] in the territory of the dumb bunnies who once again volted in a
idiot ultra conservative as their local member. Now all those fools are
going to really find out where the money comes from, aka he just
presented the cheques and didn't get them the money.