Water Tanks/Cisterns
I STRONGLY RECOMMEND YOU INVEST ONLY IN TANKS/CISTERNS THAT ARE RATED FOR POTABLE WATER STORAGE AND USE, EVEN IF YOU DON’T EXPECT TO USE THE WATER FOR DRINKING &/OR DOMESTIC USE. WHY? BECAUSE THE HIGHER THE QUALITY OF THE HARVESTED AND STORED RAINWATER, THE MORE OPTIONS YOU HAVE FOR ITS POTENTIAL USE. TANKS NOT RATED FOR POTABLE WATER STORAGE OFTEN CONTAIN TOXIC BIOCIDES THAT WILL LEACH INTO YOUR WATER. SO DON’T SULLY YOUR WATER WITH TOXIC OR CONTAMINATED MATERIALS OR COMPONENTS.
Plastic Tanks
If placed above ground be sure tank is UV-resistant for durability, and light-proof so algae will not grow in tank. Select tanks for potable water storage.
American Tank Company
www.watertanks.com
Bushman Tanks – USA
Check out their plastic slim tanks for urban applications. They have a small footprint and can double as cistern walls or cistern fences along property lines. But I am NOT a fan of Bushman tanks. I find their construction to be of a lower quality than other brands and their 3-inch bulkheads are of poor quality, so I go to the extra cost of replacing these bulkheads with higher quality bulkheads such as those offered by Norwesco.
www.bushmanusa.com
Bushman Tanks – Australia
Check out their plastic slim tanks for urban applications. They have a small footprint and can double as cistern walls or cistern fences along property lines. But I am NOT a fan of Bushman tanks. I find their construction to be of a lower quality than other brands and their 3-inch bulkheads are of poor quality, so I go to the extra cost of replacing these bulkheads with higher quality bulkheads such as those offered by Norwesco.
www.bushmantanks.com
Cotterill Civils Ltd – UK
They supply, advise on, and install water tanks for rainwater harvesting.
www.cotterillcivils.co.uk/products/oil-and-water-tanks/water-tanks.aspx
Loomis Tanks
www.LoomisTank.com
National Tank Outlet^
Supplier of polyethylene tanks used for rainwater harvesting and water storage for homes, businesses, and industrial applications. They state that all of their tanks use FDA approved polyethylene resin, making them food grade and potable safe.
www.ntotank.com
Norwesco
Beware of Norwesco rotation-molded tanks for below-ground installation that require you to keep 20% of the tank filled with water at all times to prevent collapse of tank.
www.norwesco.com
Poly-mart
I find their 3-inch bulkheads to be of poor quality, so I go to the extra cost of replacing these bulkheads with higher quality bulkheads such as those offered by Norwesco.
Protank^
Specializes in liquid storage tanks and agriculture equipment within the United States, and offers custom tank fabrication for your specific needs. They ship water-storage and rainwater-harvesting equipment from more than 40 locations. Questions welcome at (866) 776-8265.
www.protankms.com
RainwaterHOG
These plastic 180-liter (47-gallon) tanks are 500 mm x 220 mm x 1800 mm and can be mounted horizontally (groundHOG) or vertically (waterHOG) in small or tight spaces such as along fences or between floor joists.
www.RainwaterHOG.com
Resource Conservation Technology Inc.
www.rainwatertechnology.com
Snyder
www.snydernet.comThe Tank Factory – Australia^
The Tank Factory services the east coast of Australia, supplying poly water tanks with capacities from 340 to 34000 liters. The Tank Factory is a family-owned business that has been operating for over 30 years.
www.watertankfactory.com.auTank Depot^
www.tank-depot.com
Tank Town
www.rainwatercollection.com
New Mexico (and surrounding states)
New Mexico Water Tanks
They sell potable water-grade 1.5lb/gallon HDLPE black plastic tanks for above-ground applications.
These are thicker and stronger than 1.0lb/gallon black plastic tanks.
www.nmwatertanks.com
Arizona
Dewey
Loomis Tanks
www.loomistank.com/rainwater-collection-harvesting.shtml
(866) 636-0046
Prescott
Skywater, LLC
www.skywaterarizona.com
Tucson
Ewing Irrigation & Landscape Supply
Snyder and Norwesco plastic tanks
https://store.ewingirrigation.com/
520-690-9530
Southern Arizona Rain Gutters
Plastic Bushman and Polymart tanks, etc.
www.southernarizonaraingutters.com
The Rain Store
https://www.therainstore.com/
Fiberglass Tanks
If the tank is to be placed above-ground be sure it has a UV-resistant coating for durability, and it is light-proof so algae will not grow in tank. Select tanks for potable water storage.
Tank Town
www.rainwatercollection.com
XERXES Fiberglass Underground Tanks
https://www.rainharvest.com/xerxes-fiberglass-tanks.asp
Wood Tanks
Timbertanks America
1,600- to 97,000-gallon tanks
www.timbertanks.com
Forest and Lumber Cooperage, Ltd
3,000-, 6,500-, and 9,000-gallon tanks
www.forestlumber.com/cistern.php
Pre-manufactured & Modular (shipped to, then fabricated on site) Metal Tanks
Acer Water Tanks, Inc. Acer distributes Pioneer and American Stainless Steel water tanks. Serving residential and commercial customers. www.acerwatertanks.comAmerican Tank Company
www.watertanks.com
BH Tanks Inc – USA
This Blue Scope Water company offers tanks from 10,000 to 65,000 gallons for residential use and for commercial applications offers tanks up to 700,000 gallons.
www.bhtank.com
BlueScope Water – Australia
www.bluescopewater.com
Contain Water Systems, Inc
www.containwatersystems.com
CorGal Water Storage Tanks
www.corgaltanks.com
Metal Rain Tanks
Owner Nell Wheeler specializes in high-quality stainless steel rainwater tanks with capacities from 150–2400 gallons. No epoxy coating or plastic liner, so all tanks are suitable for potable-water use. Located in Houston, Texas.
metalraintanks.com
Pioneer Water Tanks – America
https://pioneerwatertanksamerica.com/
Texas Metal Tanks
https://www.texasmetaltanks.com/The Tank Factory – Australia^
The Tank Factory’s metal tanks offer the traditional water-tank look. There are slimline, square and round tanks available with capacities from 1000 to 27000 liters. www.watertankfactory.com.au/steel-water-tanks
Northern New Mexico
Williams Windmills
www.williamswindmill.com
Slim Tanks (for tight spaces and smaller lots)
National Tank Outlet
https://www.ntotank.com/slimline-water-storage-tanks
Bushman Tanks – Australia
Check out their plastic slim tanks for urban applications. They have a small footprint and can double as cistern walls or cistern fences along property lines. But I am NOT a fan of Bushman tanks. I find their construction to be of a lower quality than other brands and their 3-inch bulkheads are of poor quality, so I go to the extra cost of replacing these bulkheads with higher quality bulkheads such as those offered by Norwesco.
www.bushmantanks.com.au
Bushman Tanks – USA
Check out their plastic slim tanks for urban applications. They have a small footprint and can double as cistern walls or cistern fences along property lines. But I am NOT a fan of Bushman tanks. I find their construction to be of a lower quality than other brands and their 3-inch bulkheads are of poor quality, so I go to the extra cost of replacing these bulkheads with higher quality bulkheads such as those offered by Norwesco.
https://bushmanusa.com/products/slim-line-tanks
Rainwater HOG (USA)
www.RainwaterHOG.com
These plastic 51-gallon tanks measure 71″ x 20″ x 9 1/2″ and can be mounted horizontally (groundHOG) or vertically (waterHOG) in small or tight spaces such as along fences or between floor joists.
Slimline Rainwater Tanks – Australia
Corrugated stainless steel tanks.
www.slimlinetanks.com.auThe Tank Factory – Australia
^ The Tank Factory manufactures slimline tanks with capacities from 450 to 5000 liters, with eleven different sizes and shapes. Solid tanks with a 20-year warranty. www.watertankfactory.com.au/types/slimline-water-tanks
Distributors of Various Tank Types (& other water harvesting items)
RainCycle
Commercial systems
https://www.watts.com/products/water-quality-rainwater-harvesting-solutions/rainwater-harvesting
Contain Water Systems, Inc
www.containwatersystems.com
Plastic-Mart^
www.plastic-mart.com
Rain Tank Depot
www.raintankdepot.com
Steel Culverts (to make your own culvert cisterns)
Caution: It is very common for steel culvert tanks to leak, and to rust.
The seals of the tanks need to be thoroughly cleaned before sealing with caulking. One local water harvesting company cleans the seals with carburetor cleaner that sprays deep into the seals before applying the caulking.
Another common leak is the seam where the culvert enters its concrete base.
They tend to rust anywhere the galvanized coating has been scratched (and often there are many scratches).
As a more durable, leak-free alternative, Southern Arizona Rain Gutters has worked with the manufacturer of large corrugated steel tanks with an interior bladder to make 4-foot and 5-foot diameter tanks with interior bladders. If you are set on the look of a culvert tank, you may want to look into this option.
Look up “culverts” in your phone book yellow pages.
Arizona Culvert of Casa Grande
This company makes culverts in 6″ increments, from 1′ to 12′ diameter, and any length (nearest foot).
2010 Price for 42″-60″ culverts was in the range of $30-$50/foot.
Delivery to Tucson (2010 price) was $250 for 1 or several culverts; if you can wait until they are making other deliveries to Tucson, you can save 50% or more on the delivery charge.
I recommend you build culvert cisterns no smaller in diameter than 4′. I find the smaller diameters are harder to construct, and don’t offer enough storage capacity.
(520) 426-6000
Fabricators of Metal Lids (for culvert cisterns)
Advantage Air Mechanical
These folks in Tucson, Arizona, make high quality, structural lids. Inspection ports with covers are an option.
www.advantageairmechanical.com/sheetmetalproduction.php
A good design can be fabricated by local sheet metal shops.
Tucson
Quick Custom Metals
Can build 4 foot, 1.5-inch diameter lids from 24 gauge metal, and 5 foot, 2-inch diameter lids from 20-22 gauge metal. Ask for galvanized or galvalume metal. 4-foot diameter lids cost about $90 each. 5-foot diameter lids cost about $150 each.
(520) 888-7313
AIRCO Products
Ask for Chapo. He can build 3 foot, 1.5 inch diameter lids for about $35 each from 24 gauge sheet metal.
(520) 326-1441
Precast Ferrocement Septic Tanks (made for cistern use)
Make sure manufacturer uses concrete and/or sealer rated for potable water contact.
You want to avoid use of concrete that has fly ash, which can contain toxic heavy metals.
Instructions on customizing new ferrocement septic tanks to act as cisterns for non-potable water are provided in Rainwater Harvesting for Drylands and Beyond, Volume 3.
Look up “septic tank manufacturers” in your phone book yellow pages.
Tucson
Arizona Precast Septic Concepts LLC
5550 S Beverly Ave
(520) 663-3459
1,000; 1,250; 1,500-gallon above ground tanks. Below ground tanks from 1,000 to 5,700-gallons
http://www.azprecastseptic.com/
^ indicates a paid listing
Rain Barrels (premanufactured)
These are typically too undersized to be considered a true cistern, but they can get you started. I consider rain barrels rain toys – too small to be the real deal (unless collecting water from a very small roof surface).
Rain Barrels Iowa, LLC
www.rainbarrelsiowa.com
RainBarrel USA
www.rainbarrelusa.com
Rain Water Solutions, Inc.
www.rainwatersolutions.com
Resource Conservation Technology Inc.
www.conservationtechnology.com
Tijeras Rain Barrels
Custom rainbarrels in capacities from 50 to 360 gallons, in 34 colors.
www.tijerasrainbarrels.com
Bisbee and Sierra Vista, Arizona
Oasis Water Harvesting
www.oasisrainwaterharvesting.com
Do-It-Yourself Rainbarrels and Tanks (home-made)
Do a web search on: “How to make your own rain barrel” for instructions.
For a source of used food-grade barrels try:
– Feed stores
– Soda and juice bottling companies (Tucson-area residents, see below)
– Bakeries and tortilla factories
Tucson:
Kalil Bottling Company
Contact Patrick Duncan at the number below if you are interested in Kalil’s new and used plastic and metal 55-gallon drums, which can be converted into rainbarrels, composters, etc. Patrick has had personal success in converting the barrels for harvesting rainwater and has details on the process to share. New barrels are available but the used ones may also be considered safe for rain and compost uses. Current pricing (June 2011) starts at $13 per barrel. Deals for bulk orders may be worked out through contacting Patrick. Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 am to 2 pm. Location: 931 S Highland Ave, Tucson. Loading assistance is available, however, delivery is not available.
(520) 624-1788 x147
Online:
Vela Creations’ Building a Cistern: Step-by-step instructions on how to build a cistern with a shell and liner
Abe Connally of Vela Creations notes, “The roof is tricky because most people are not familiar with the material. But, it holds up well and is very forgiving. If I had all the money and machinery in the world, I’d make a conical roof out of metal, but it’s not really that easy in a backyard. If it’s just for irrigation, a pool liner is the cheapest way to go, and we can built a 6000-gallon tank for about $750 or less. We also have one we made out of a pond liner, and it works well, too. For a potable tank, the liner is more expensive, and the total tank cost about $1000. I like the cost, and it’s fairly easy to put them together, even low-skilled workers can assemble one in a couple of days. I eventually want to make one with an eave, so it didn’t even need an external roof. It would be a self-filling rain tank, and spread out further away from the homestead, it could give water to wildlife or help establish native trees and plants.”
velacreations.com/howto/cistern-howto