What Is a Water Storage Tank and How Does It Work?
A water holding tank, alternatively called a water storage tank, is pretty much what you would think it is. They’re containers used for storing water for drinking, irrigation, sanitation, or for fire emergencies.
They see a lot of use in places where water shortages are endemic, or in any situation where a substantial, reliable source of water might be needed in a hurry.
The concept is simple, but if you’re looking to invest in one then you are very likely curious to know how they work and what types are available to you. Keep reading to find out!
How Does a Water Holding Tank Work?
There are two major varieties of water holding tanks, but they both serve the same purpose. The tank is connected to a reverse osmosis system and used to store water until it is needed by the home or business to which it is attached.
The tank fills itself from a water source like a well or a reverse osmosis system, and stores it securely until it’s needed. The main difference is in how they dispense water once it has been stored.
Point-of-use applications like a reverse osmosis tank tend to use what’s called a pressure tank. Outdoor tanks that draw from wells usually use atmospheric tanks.
Pressure Tanks
As the name suggests, pressure tanks use compressed air to create water pressure within the tank.
These tanks have an air chamber or a bladder within them that is initially charged with air. As the tank fills with water, the weight of the liquid compresses the air pocket, causing the pressure within the tank to rise. Once the tank’s pressure limit has been reached, it will signal the feed source to stop filling.
It’s a simple but elegant design. As air can compress but water cannot, a pressure tank can naturally build up pressure without the use of pumps.
Atmospheric Tanks
Atmospheric tanks do not contain air bladders or any mechanism to pressurize their contents. Instead, they merely store liquid at whatever the ambient atmospheric pressure of their location is, hence their name.
Atmospheric tanks are often used to store potentially volatile substances like crude oil and gasoline. The underground gas reservoirs at a gas station, for example, are large atmospheric tanks.
As their contents are not pressurized, you need a water pump to draw water out of the tank and into a building. They also tend to be much larger than pressure tanks, with some capable of holding thousands of gallons at a time. Their increased capacity makes them better suited for things like rainwater collection and irrigation.
Investing in a Water Tank
Water tanks are becoming increasingly popular thanks to a range of environmental factors.
In drought-stricken Los Angeles, homeowners and businesses invest in water tanks to ensure a safe backup supply of water. In areas where brush fires are growing more frequent and extreme, they are a necessity for many rural communities.
Fortunately, companies that specialize in factory direct water tanks. For more information, check out a reputable dealer like watertankfactory.com.au
Don’t Find Yourself High and Dry
The trends that have made water storage tanks a popular commodity are projected to intensify moving forward. Droughts and brushfires will become increasingly common, and freshwater more valuable. Securing a water holding tank now is one of the best decisions that you can make to insulate yourself from these mounting pressures.
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