Water is an essential item in our everyday life but somehow our water supply is not enough to fill the needed amount of this type of liquid. During camping and hiking, clean water is needed for drinking and cooking. In agriculture, water is needed to be transported to areas without direct access to water sources. Stored water is also necessary when natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, or droughts occur. Job sites may also require water for concrete mixing, dust suppression, and worker hydration. You can actually address these problems through the use of portable water tanks.
A portable water tank comes in varied sizes, materials, and designs intended to store and transport water conveniently. It can be constructed from plastic, steel, fiberglass, or collapsible fabric with spigots, wheels, and UV protection to enhance its functionality. Now, how to choose the right portable water tank for your needs?
Determine Your Purpose
Being specific with your purpose can help you determine the most appropriate tank for your needs. For camping and outdoor activities, lightweight and easy-to-carry containers with built-in spigots will be convenient. Meanwhile, in agriculture and livestock, you need large-capacity tanks for irrigation and animal use. On the other hand, emergency preparation requires durable, food-grade tanks to store clean drinking water. Finally, heavy-duty tanks are responsible for transporting water to different job sites like construction and other industrial uses.
Consider Capacity Requirements
Since the tanks come in various sizes, 5-10 gallons will be fine for short trips and personal use, while 20-50 gallons will be good enough for small groups camping and outdoor use. However, in agricultural irrigation and livestock, you will need 100-500 gallons and more than 500 gallons for construction and large-scale industrial operations.
Material Selection
You have to consider the material composition of the water tank to suit your needs. Plastic (polyethylene) is lightweight, affordable, and resistant to corrosion. If you’re looking for durable and suitable for long-term water storage, choose stainless or galvanized steel tanks. Meanwhile, the collapsible fabric ones are ideal for emergency or temporary storage. And, the best for extreme weather conditions and chemical corrosion are the fiberglass tanks.
Portability and Design Features
For easy transport over rough terrain, the tank must have handles and wheels and for convenient water dispensing, there must be built-in spigots or faucets. You may also consider the water tank’s collapsible or stackable design to save space when not in use. An added UV protection feature will prevent algae growth and material degradation from sunlight exposure.
Food Grade vs. Non-Food Grade
Food-grade and BPA-free are the best for drinking water, in contrast, non-food-grade should only be used for irrigation, livestock, and industrial applications.
Ease of Cleaning and Maintenance
It is a good practice to regularly clean the water container to also maintain the quality of the water it contains. For easier cleaning, choose tanks with large openings, and also available drainage valves for efficient emptying and refilling. And, of course, to minimise bacterial buildup, the interior surface must be smooth.
Finally, you should verify that your chosen tank meets local health and safety standards because some regions have regulations on water storage and transportation.
