24 Jun 2018 / Latest News

Prepare your site for an in-ground water tank

Concrete in ground water tanks weigh a lot, and, it is for this reason that the hole into which the tank is being placed has been correctly prepared before the water tank arrives. With the hole already in place and properly set up, when your in-ground water tank is delivered it can be maneuvered straight into the hole.

The hole for your water tank needs to be dug larger than the water tank itself, but to the correct depth – this is so the tank will clear all the sides when it is placed into the hole.  When your hole is excavated it needs to provide no less than 300mm clearance between the outside of the tank and your hole. There are some council regulations or ground conditions that may require the clearance to be even greater, or, the excavation walls may need to be battered back to ensure the walls do not collapse during the excavation.

When it comes to the depth of the excavation there should be at least 75mm of blue metal or sand spread in the bottom of the hole – this should also be level as it forms the base on which your new in-ground water tank will sit.

How deep the excavation is will also depend not only on the height of the tank but also, it’s design and how far below the surface you want or need the tank to be.

In most cases, in-ground water tanks are delivered to the site on the back of a truck – truck/trailer combo. These trucks can be up to 19 meters long, 2.5 meters wide and can weigh up to ten tonnes. You will also need to take this into account when you are organising your water tanks delivery as there needs to be suitable access to your property for the truck.

If access to your property is via a dirt road if it has been raining heavily prior to delivery will access be affected? Depending on your situation a truck can be reversed down a driveway – if it isn’t too long, but, if the tank needs to be taken down a long road or driveway, there needs to be a suitable turning area that takes into account the length and width of the truck.

You also need to consider the fact that the tank on the back of the truck can be up to 5 meters in height, depending on the tank chosen. Check your road for any power lines and tree branches that may impede access. Allow at least a 5-meter clearance for the tuck and the tank.

Are there any underground septic tanks, or sewers under the access road or turning area that the truck might damage?

 

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