Steel Water Tanks – Thoughts and Considerations!

What are steel water tanks made from?

Quite simply steel tanks are made from Bluescope or Aqaplate steel. A food grade polymer lining adheres to the steel and there is a heavy duty top colour coating.

The steel walls for domestic grade steel tanks are 0.6mm thick. Corrugations of the tank wall comply with AS1445 with corrosion protection.

The polymer lining adheres to AS4020:2018 and are food grade. This means they are suitable for food and water storage and human consumption.

Why choose steel tanks to store your water?

Steel water tanks are designed for domestic, commercial and rural application. Built with strength of steel and with corrugations the strength to withstand the outward pressure of the water.

Steel tanks are made on customer order and the dimensions can be varied to suit different locations. The length or diameter can be adjusted to 100mm increments. The height can be adjusted in line with the corrugations. The most popular heights of steel water tanks are around 1860, 1940, 2020, 2200mm high. This differs greatly to Polypropylene tanks which are manufactured with moulds the dimensions are not able to be altered.

Steel tanks are made to suit the harsh Australian environment. With proper maintenance they will last decades. Currently steel tanks come with a 20 year corrosion warranty and a 10yr Construction Warranty showing that they are built to last a long time.

Visually, the steel water tank can often look strong and bold and can be seen as an addition to your home or property. Choosing a colour that blends with a home’s facade or the rural environment can certainly have curbside appeal.

Things to Consider.

The cost of purchasing a steel water tank is more expensive than its poly competitor but there are good reasons to still consider a steel tank. The visual appeal is often a tipping point in favour of steel tanks. The longevity of steel can often tip the scales towards them also.

All tanks require some cleaning and maintenance. General Maintenance will remove any Leaves and gunk can block the inlet and can cause dirt and particles to enter the tank. In particular if you are using the water with the tank for human consumption, it would be a good idea to provide continual maintenance.

Non-Standard Fittings on Steel Water Tanks.

Over recent years with raging fires that have destroyed homes and properties in Australia, local councils have introduced a requirement to have dedicated fire water available for country fire tankers. Victorian Councils require a CFA fire connection, New South Wales require a Storz Fire connection and Queensland councils require a Camlock fire connection. These fittings are inserted during manufacture to satisfy council requirements.

Local councils are also calling up OSD fittings – Onsite Detention Tanks. This is where an outlet is added to a tank at a predetermined place. Some water to exit the tank as slow release into the storm water and the other available water be used for re-use ie gardens, toilets etc.

There are various ways we can add OSD fittings to an OSD Tank. Simply a brass outlet can be used or a special 100mm OSD kit fitting can be used. This OSD kit has an orifice plate inserted where the installer will drill the orifice plate to size. Steel water tanks can be fitted easily with OSD fittings to satisfy local council requirements.

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