Home water storage ideas?

Houndoc

Registered User
Location
Grantsville
Thinking I really need to up my home water storage, especially with 5 thirsty horses at home.
What has anyone done for a cost effective 500-1,000 gal. storage system?
 

jeeper

I live my life 1 dumpster at a time
Location
So Jo, Ut
50 gallon barrels. Lots of them. Easy to drain and fill, possible to move around if needed. If one barrel gets contaminated somehow, the rest are still useable.
 

4x4_Welder

Well-Known Member
Location
Twin Falls, ID
Poly tanks were popular in the oilfields, they just like to blow away when empty.
For horse water and washing water, non-potable is generally fine. For drinking water I'd use 5gallon water containers.
 

Hickey

Burn-barrel enthusiast
Supporting Member
The blue poly barrels are not impervious to algae growth, as they do let some light through. They work fine in a basement, but left outside they are problematic. They are also not inexpensive on a larger scale. About $50 each. A larger black tank like @spaggyroe posted is the better option. We plan on getting one for our property this spring.
 

Caleb

Well-Known Member
Location
Riverton
I have a 1000 gallon in ground tank at my cabin, works great, easy to fill with our 200 gallon transport tank (https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200652733_200652733) that I built a trailer for this last year. The only issue with the above ground tanks is filling them. If you have water pressure to fill it then not as big of a deal, otherwise you'll have to pump it or something. On my in ground tank, I just pull the trailer up to the fill neck, drop the 2.5" hose in and then in a matter of a minute or two, it's done dumping in.
 

Houndoc

Registered User
Location
Grantsville

Hickey

Burn-barrel enthusiast
Supporting Member
Something along those is what I have been thinking. The 50 gal. barrels take up a lot of space by the time you are wanting 10-20 of them.

I wish I had planned ahead with an in-ground tank when we had the house built.
If you need the hole dug, my dad could do that. He's got a decent sized tractor and also lives in Grantsville. I don't know what he charges, but he's retired and likes to play on his tractor.
 
I have a big tank in my basement (~250 gal) that I need to build a stand for before filling it. I don't want it sitting on the floor.

Drew, if you end up needing a hole dug, I have a little excavator we could dig it with.
 

Cody

Random Quote Generator
Supporting Member
Location
Gastown
I empty a 50 gallon blue hdpe barrel about every 3 weeks. I usually sell them off for 20 bucks for rain water collection or whatever. They had liquid malt syrup in them, and usually clean up pretty easily. If anyone wants some, let me know.
 

Houndoc

Registered User
Location
Grantsville
@Hickey and @Unimog I will think about going in ground and let you know if go that route. With house built not easy to tie in plumbing like I know some people have done so would need to look into pumps. But would be the ideal way to store larger volumes. Thinking about 500 gal looks like max I can easily do in garage.

If either tractor is wanting some other work, I may be looking for new person to clean out my horse pen once things dry out and have manure pile that needs hauled off a few times a year.
 
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