The Complete Guide to Water Storage Tanks in 2024
Water is a necessity of life and of human flourishing. The are so many ways to access water and make it available. From municipal water supplies, to private wells, or even rain water collection, the possibilities are numerous. For thousands of years humanity has been storing up water and collecting it for their uses. A capability that is still being used today. Whatever your water situation, you may very well benefit from having a water storage tank. Let's look at the reasons for water storage tanks, what types of tanks there are, and how you can select the right type and size of tank to improve your water situation.
Reasons For Water Storage Tanks
Water storage tanks have been adapted over the years, and many variations are being manufactured today for every possible use. There are so many options, so let’s talk about the common uses and reasons to get a water storage tank.
Low Production Wells
One of the most common uses for water storage tanks is to assist with the issue of low production wells. Low production wells, also commonly referred to as low yield wells, are wells that cannot produce enough water for the peak demand of the house or business. For household uses any well producing under 2 gallons per minute would generally be labeled low production, but a higher yield could also be low production if the demand for water is also high.
Now, if you take 1 gallon per minute and stretch slowly over a 24 hour day you can actually get around 1,440 gallons per day! That is easily enough for a family of 6-8. The only way to make this work, though, is with the help of a water storage tank. In using a water storage tank, the idea is to store up the little bits of water throughout the day and night so that when a peak demand comes there is plenty of water all ready to be used.
The water tank for a low production well would generally have a pump inside the tank that would supply water pressure and volume to the house or business. That way during peak usage times the only thing being taxed is the water in the storage tank instead of the low production well.
Water storage tanks can also help wells from being over pumped. Over pumping a well can happen when the well pump is allowed to run at full capacity and run the well out of water. This can cause the well yield to actually decrease over time. It is important to keep your well from being over pumped so that the water situation doesn’t get any worse.
2. Increasing Water Pressure
Another great use for water storage tanks is to increase water pressure and volume. This could be for those on a private water well, a shared well, or even from a municipal water supply. If the water source is adequate but there just isn’t enough water pressure or volume for your needs then a water storage tank might just be the answer for you.
A water storage tank would bring in the low flow water and store it up in the tank. Similarly to the low production well use, the tank would have a water pump inside of it that would pressurize the house with better volume and water pressure. The tank would also have a mechanical float on it so that when the tank is full it stops filling.
When it comes to increasing both water pressure and volume water storage tanks are a really great answer.
3. Emergency Water Storage
For some people on either a private well or city water, who, for any reason, cannot install a well hand pump to get their water manually, they may want to have some water stored up for emergencies. Whether it be for a power outage during winter storms or something much worse, it may be a good idea to have a decent amount of water stored up on hand just in case. That way if something were to happen to the electricity for the well pump there would still be easily accessible from the water storage tank.
The water tank would serve very similarly to the others except it might have a valve on it that can be easily opened with a hose to allow the water to flow out of the tank into another smaller container to use for toilets or drinking water. The size of the tank would be determined by the number of people needing water during the outage along with the length of time planned for.
4. Irrigation Systems
Another common use for water storage tanks is for irrigation systems. Sometimes the well or municipal water supply may be plenty adequate for household or business use, but there is a lawn or farm irrigation that needs higher output and volume. This is very common with vineyards, homes with large landscapes, or farms. In this case water storage could be used to store up the water from the source and then a very high output pump is installed on the tank to supply the pressure and volume needed for the irrigation system.
Water storage tanks for irrigation systems are also commonly used with rainwater harvesting. That way water can be stored up from rainwater and used for irrigation at no cost.
Types of Water Storage Tanks
Now that you know the top four most common uses for water storage tanks, we will look at the different kinds of water storage tanks. The world of water storage tanks continues to see advancements and improvements every year. There are more options today than there ever have been. Each water storage tank has its benefits and disadvantages over the others.
1. Pressure Tanks
Pressure tanks are the most common water storage tank. In fact, nearly every single well water system has at least one. These tanks fill with water from the well and store that water under pressure. Bladder pressure tanks have a rubber diaphragm inside the tank and the water pressure pushes against to hold at that pressure.
This keeps the pressure in the building, and as water is being utilized in the building the pressure tank begins to empty until the pressure reaches a low enough point that the well pump turns on to fill it back up.
These tanks do a fantastic job for most well systems. Wells with plenty of yield and pressure are perfect for pressure tanks. However, with bladder pressure tanks half of the tank is pressurized air while the other half is water. Because of this, it is not a good or economical solution for low producing wells or for emergency water storage.
2. Above Ground Cistern Tanks
Above-ground cistern water storage tanks are tanks that sit above the ground either outside, in a well house, basement, or garage. They can be made of metal, plastic, or even concrete. These tanks will intake the water from either a well or municipal water line to fill the tank, and then there would be a pump inside the tank to pressurize the house or building.
In warmer climates, these water tanks can be installed outdoors, while in colder climates where freezing can happen, it is recommended to house them indoors so that the tank or surrounding piping won’t freeze. With the tanks being above ground they are easy to replace and maintain if need be.
Above-ground water storage tanks are the best way to solve the issues of low production wells or low water pressure issues. If you need an above-ground water storage tank reach out to your local well company, or the experts at Epp Well Solutions.
3. Underground Storage Tanks
In areas where it often freezes and there is no room indoors for an above-ground water storage tank, it may be advised to get an underground storage tank. These are frequently larger than most other tanks. A large hole is dug in the ground and the plastic, fiberglass, metal, or concrete tank is lowered down into the hole. The tank is then completely buried under the ground except for a little hole that can be used to access it.
These are a great solution to keep the tank and piping from freezing, but they can be very expensive and because the tank is underground it is very hard to service or replace if need be.
4. Emergency Water Storage Barrels
Large water storage barrels can be used for storing water for emergencies. They are generally plastic barrels that can be filled with a hose. Then if an emergency ever happens the water can be poured or hand pumped from the water barrel to use. These barrels are fairly small and easy to store in any space available. The problem with these barrels is that the water needs to be changed out frequently as the water is just sitting in there stagnant and that can promote algae or bacteria growth.
5. Water Tower Tanks
Water storage tanks can also be utilized as miniature water towers. The above-ground water storage tank would be installed in an area higher than the house or building it is supplying. The well would pump water up into the tank and then the water in the tank would be gravity fed into the building at a constant and smooth pressure. The nice thing about these tanks is that if the power were to ever go out the tank could still provide pressure to the house with the stored up water gravity fed into the house. This only works though for those who have a space above their house or building to install the water tank to serve as a miniature water tower.
6. Rainwater Collection Tank
The last common use for water storage tanks is for rainwater collection and use. Generally, these are large tanks that are supplied either from a rainwater collection tarp or from a downspout of a building. With every rain the tank would fill more and more until full. Then when water is needed for things like irrigation the water can either be gravity fed or pumped out of the tank or tanks.
The great thing about rainwater collection tanks is that the water and energy used to collect the water is completely free. This cuts down on your water costs. The downside is that this is only effective in areas with frequent rain, and when the rainwater collection tank is empty it cannot be used again until after it rains again.
Selecting The Right Water Tank
With so many options and uses for water tanks, it can feel very overwhelming to choose the right water tank for your situation. Each one has its uses and advantages. Take into consideration where your water source is. Is it a municipal water supply, private well, shared well, or rainwater? If it is a well is it low production or does it just need a boost in water pressure? Is this supplying a house or building? How many people use the water on a daily basis?
These are all questions to think about as you determine what water storage tank is right for you.
