While everyone would like their own water storage solution, sometimes having one above ground just isn’t possible because of the environment around your home or the zoning regulations in your city. A perfect solution to this issue is the use of an underground water tank instead. This buried alternative provides a solution that doesn’t take up any surface space.
At FreeWater Systems, we offer the finest patented underground tanks that money can buy. With our wide selection and turnkey solutions, you’ll find yourself wondering how you ever lived without one. Before you begin examining our options, we’d like to show you the advantages of an underground tank, in addition to giving you some tips on their installation.
The Advantages and Benefits of an Underground Storage Tank
Underground tanks are sometimes referred to as cisterns, and these are a popular option among both residential customers and emergency services. For example, a fire cistern is installed in many rural cities and communities to provide a massive amount of water that can be accessed at a moment’s notice in the event of a fire.
Underground cisterns also offer the advantage of being aesthetically invisible and allow you to utilize the surface space of your property. The underground option also provides you with protection from freezing and microbial growth. With an underground tank installed, you can take advantage of these great benefits as well:
- No longer do you have to depend on city-provided water, you can save money on utility costs
- Water is available at a moment’s notice, allowing you to access it, even if the city water is restricted, suspended or under a “boil order”.
- Stored water has a variety of household uses such as washing dishes, flushing toilets, doing laundry, watering plants and lawns, and much more.
The first question on most people’s minds however is going to be along the lines of how difficult are they to install? The answer is not difficult at all. Yes, some tools may need to be rented or acquired to complete the process, but all of the accessories are shipped with the tank so you won’t need to worry about purchasing any additional parts.
Let’s examine the process and why our underground storage systems may be right for you.
Installing an Underground Storage Tank
While the process isn’t quite as simple as digging a hole and lowering the tank into it, it’s not much more complicated than that either. The first step is digging a hole for the tank to rest in. This is where you may need to rent some sort of excavation equipment because the hole is going to be substantial in size depending on the capacity of your chosen system.
Once the hole is excavated, a layer of gravel is placed in the bottom which is known as “bedding.” After this the tank is placed inside and assembled. Using pea gravel or a similar bedding material, the tank is backfilled. Material is placed around the sides and over the top as well. Our patented OcTanks can be installed and run dry without the need for water ballast to hold the tank in place.
For potential access to the tank and its parts in the future, a manway can be installed on any OcTank module. This allows for future access without the need to expose the top of the tank. If the tank is installed underneath a high traffic area, a concrete traffic slab is installed with a manhole in it to allow access to the tank.
Using our patented “interconnect” system, we fasten multiple modules into a larger capacity tank to accommodate any size system. When shipped, these come pre-assembled in a kit form which allows our customers to perform a turnkey installation.
Underground Storage Tank Solutions and Accessories
Here at FreeWater Systems we’ve created the finest possible water tank solution in the form of our patented OcTank. This durable design involves fastening together separate modules to form a single monolithic tank. This modular system is the flagship of our products and accessories line. Customer all across the United States and in the Caribbean have discovered the power and ease of these solutions.
Here are some examples of our tanks and accessories. For more information, we invite you to contact us for a no-obligation Design/Quote that on a custom system to meet your needs. In the meantime, enjoy these examples below:
- The Polyethylene OcTank Module
These individual modules come pre-assembled and ready to install. Here are the details and pricing for them:
- A 2,000 Gallon capacity
- Made from NSF-61 Certified Polyethylene resin designed for use with potable water
- Shipped in a light gray color
- Able to be dry buried without the need for water ballast during backfill
- Typical cover depth of 36”
- Shipping weight of 800 pounds per module
Pricing for these modules is $2,600 each, plus freight.
- Dry Hydrant Assembly
For the purpose of creating a fire cistern, we also offer a dry hydrant assembly that installs easily and quickly in our OcTank modular system to create a suitable method of obtaining water quickly in an emergency scenario. Here are the specifications of this unique accessory:
- Metal cap and Lanyard included, standard 6” NST-M Hydrant, other threads available
- Includes a removable strainer
- Anti-vortex plate is included at the foot of a 6” PVC drawpipe per NFPA regulations
- Top hub tank adapter included
- Minimal field assembly is needed
- 6 inch PVC riser pipe is also included
The price for this accessory is $788. Check with your local fire authority to determine the correct thread for your location.
These are, of course, just two examples of the limitless designs and accessories we offer to interface with our OcTanks. Feel free to fill out the simple form on our website to obtain a no-obligation design quote that meets your needs.