Cistern Collapse - help me design a replacement

[longbow]

My 1930's cistern collapsed last night. My water reserve of 3,000 gallon is now a mix of dirt, clay and brick. I'm going to fill it in and start over.

I now have a new project that I will use modern materials that should last at least as long. I want to get it finished before winter.

I collect rain water from 1,000 sq ft of metal roof. That part will remain unchanged. The new system could be expanded to collect rain water from 2,000 sq ft of metal roof.

Just looking for ideas on debris screens and surface or underground water storage ideas. My plan is to improve the filtering and storage of water so that I will not have to filter or treat is as much if it is needed for drinking. Prior to this collapse, it was my raw water source for the garden, and toilets.

Pictures or links would be great.

Since I am starting over, I might also tie it into the well I have and could expand the pump house to have a poly water storage tank. That tank would be filled from the well pump or the rain water.

 

[LEaSH]

I don't have any experience with these, but maybe you can find reliable reviews from others: http://www.starkenvironmental.com/a-1-filtration.html

I have this mesh material over my rainbarrel that gives little resistance to the flow of water going in - but larger debris should be cleaned off after a good rain. This is the very same model that I have.

I know you didn't ask about this next one, but i wanted to throw it out there anyway: greywater device.
http://www.starkenvironmental.com/a-1-filtration.html

 

[Sailor]

Paging Shibum....

 

[1946]

Use a new in ground septic tank for water collection. They come in varying sizes.

 

[jeremy]

Poly tank with a Sand trap filter before it...
Easy to add storage just plumb in another tank as needed...

 

[Cpt Caveman]

Been doing some reading about fly ash and concrete tanks used for drinking water. Some say they are getting ready to label some kinds of concrete carcinogenic.
I think its called fly ash , its in most concrete blocks, some concrete but not all.
Just a heads up.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Been doing some reading about fly ash and concrete tanks used for drinking water. Some say they are getting ready to label some kinds of concrete carcinogenic.
I think its called fly ash , its in most concrete blocks, some concrete but not all.
Just a heads up.

INDOT / Purdue have been doing lots of experiments / studies on utilizing fly ash in roadway construction. This has included environmental studies.

Corrosion of metallic components that were in contact with the fly ash and the potential for the leaching / leaking of acidic runoff / groundwater were and are a big concern.

They (Purdue & INDOT engineers) had to come up with a way to encapsulate the fly ash as it was being used to keep it "stable".

Granted, the project I was most familiar with was using fly ash as a fill material in a roadway embankment - not anything to do with using it as an ingredient in concrete.

-J-

 

[XDLover]

Had a friend that put in 4 of those 2500 poly tanks, he had a mason buddy build walls and set the tanks inside the walls and filled around the poly tanks with sand. He built a small shed over top where the water comes in and bought a filter system that uses sand and a screening trap system. He spent a tidy sum on this, but it replaced a 1890's system that had started to fail.
I believe he had it done in 2009-2010 (can't recall) and thus far he has used it to take care of his garden. He has a small solar pump on it. If needed he can throw a valve and put it into his house but has no plans for that unless SHTF and his well goes dry or he can't pump out of that.

 

[J man]

Had a friend that put in 4 of those 2500 poly tanks, he had a mason buddy build walls and set the tanks inside the walls and filled around the poly tanks with sand. He built a small shed over top where the water comes in and bought a filter system that uses sand and a screening trap system.

I like this idea but was curious as to how the tanks would hold up under ground.


One good thing about burying them is you can use the clear plastic tanks which seem to be more available, since you will not have to worry about light penetration causing bacteria growth.

 

[XDLover]

I like this idea but was curious as to how the tanks would hold up under ground.


One good thing about burying them is you can use the clear plastic tanks which seem to be more available, since you will not have to worry about light penetration causing bacteria growth.

He bought his from a industrial dealer, they are about 5/8" wall thickness maybe a bit more. He had them put inside the concrete block and surrounded by sand. So far so good and that was like 2 years ago. He has taken the water in to have it tested by the small water department close to were he lives and no issues thus far last I asked him.

 

[Iroquois]

Word of warning ...poly tanks can float up out of the ground when empty. Check you water table,
I don't know what it takes to anchor one of these, but that would be good info to have!
Filling around them with sand won't help unless the space around them is dry.

 

[Tuesday Shooter]

This playlist might have some good info to help you, especially the video about the roof washer. http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL38869156CCB7313D&feature=plcp

If you need a tank on the cheap you might look at ferro cement, inexpensive materials and low tech building process. There are many videos out there about making these.
I've also seen a couple of sites that depict a concrete block cistern. They coated the inside with an FDA approved coating to make it potable.
I know a guy that collects rain water in some smaller tanks then pumps from those tanks through 2 different filters and a UV filter into a large potable water tank.
With a roof washer, string filter and UV sterilizer or chlorinator the water should be potable.
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL38869156CCB7313D&feature=plcp

 

[longbow]

fyi....

I called on a few suppliers of cisterns and poly tanks this morning. Comercial grade. tanks at the moment they are very hard to get. Wonder why?

 

[HeadlessRoland]

My great grandfather built his cistern beneath his cowlot. Slopes downward about 22.5 degrees. Unsure as to construction, but he was a concrete mason. Eventually the brick-and-mortar job he did needed replaced after about 100 years.

 

[dwh79]

You could use HDPE pipe and caps as well. Just need to seal them good which really isn't that's hard. Then you cut build whatever you want and should be good to go for clean storage. As HDPE is used in main water transmission mains. They sell all of th components to build storm water containment under parking lots and so there are plenty of fitting options to make as big of underground storage as desired. The previous post about buoyancy is correct even concrete tanks will float up out of the ground if not restrained properly to resist the uplift of the buoyancy. Think battleship. If you are above ground water table though just make sure you use proper bedding and backfill properly or your new tank will collapse potentially.

 

[XDLover]

I talked to my buddy he said that his brother in law just did a similar thing using tanks from Tractor Supply, but his are smaller. You might check into those.

As to floating. He had banding to the block work, but I doubt there would be much issue if you keep the tanks 1/2 full. I know the location they are at the water table is WELL below their location. But agree, knowing your water table is best bet.