Tank You Very Much: Are Concrete Water Tanks Right For Your Business's Water Storage Needs?

4 April 2017
 Categories: Construction & Contractors, Blog


Safe storage of large amounts of water is a vital necessity in many commercial businesses and industrial fields. When it comes to purchasing and installing a new water tank on your business premises, choosing the right type of tank for your business's water storage needs is crucial. There are a wide variety of tank materials to choose from, each with their own storage properties.

One of the most popular materials used or constructing commercial water tanks is concrete, and its easy to see why -- these formidable and incredibly durable tanks offer a number of attractive advantages to businesses prepared to invest in them. However, concrete water tanks can also have some inherent disadvantages if used incorrectly, so it's important to make sure concrete is a suitable tank material for your business needs before you take the plunge.

What are the advantages of choosing concrete water storage tanks?

  • Durable: As you can imagine, concrete water tanks are incredibly sturdy and long-lived, providing decades of reliable, leak-free service with minimal maintenance and oversight required. Concrete water tanks with particularly thick or corrugated walls are even known to survive earthquakes.
  • Suitable for potable water: Concrete is particularly well suited to water tank construction if your business requires large amounts of potable water. Since sunlight is unable to penetrate the walls of a concrete tank, the water inside is kept free of algal blooms and other organic growth. Concrete is also easily coated in food-grade plastic or silicon interior coatings.
  • Can be constructed on-site: While many tanks are pre-fabricated and transported to the installation site, they can also be poured, dried and cured in place. This makes concrete tanks particularly suited for installing in compact or inaccessible areas, and allows them to be easily integrated into new construction works.
  • Inexpensive: Although more expensive than cheaper plastic water tanks, concrete tanks are still relatively inexpensive, especially if you choose to have one constructed on-site to eliminate transportation costs.

What about the disadvantages of choosing concrete water storage tanks?

  • Structural assessment required: Unlike simple, light plastic or metal tanks, concrete tanks cannot simply be placed anywhere the ground happens to be level enough. Extensive assessment of ground conditions are required to safely install a concrete tank, and concrete foundations are usually required to keep the tank stable.
  • Can be unsuitable for underground use: While concrete tanks are widely used in subterranean capacities, installing an underground concrete tank requires a lot of professional assistance and knowhow to pull off. Installing a concrete tank in shifting or heavy clay soils can cause them to crumble and collapse swiftly.
  • Permanent installation: Once placed a concrete tank cannot be relocated, and must be demolished if it becomes an obstacle or your business reorganises its floor plan.

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