Collection of rainwater begins with the catchment system, usually the roof of a home, barn, school, factory, etc.  The size of the collection area and the annual rainfall in your location are directly related to the amount of rainwater that can be captured.  On average, you can catch about 600 gallons of rainwater per 1000 square feet of collection area in a 1 inch rain event.  The efficiency of capture depends on the type of roofing material and gutter systems.  Covered gutter systems reduce the amount of debris that must be removed by filtering screens before the water enters the storage vessel or cistern for use.  Ideally, the entire gutter system would be connected to one or more cisterns for the most efficient rain gathering.

Tanks/Cisterns

Water storage is the most critical component of a rainwater system. In selecting a water storage tank or cistern, there are several important questions you should ask before selecting the right tank for your project.

Ask yourself...

"Will I store the water above ground or below ground?"
"How much storage do I need?"
"Are there space limitations that restrict the size of water tank I may chose?"
"What appearance do I want for my tank?"
"Will the neighbors care?"
"Are there restrictions regarding water storage tanks?"
"Is my site accessible or hard to reach with a delivery truck?"

These are only a few questions to consider. Please select from the following list of water storage tank systems.

Water Storage Applications

• Residential Water Supply
• Cooling Water Tanks
• Fire Protection Reserve   
• Irrigation Water Storage
• Potable Water Storage
• Process Tanks
• Livestock Water Reserves
• Railroad Water Tanks
• Rainwater Collection
• Stormwater Detention
• Poly Tank Replacement