The Fascinating History of the Water Tank

The water tank plays a vital role in modern society. It stores clean water for drinking, for use in industry, agriculture and, increasingly, to supply fire sprinkler systems in emergencies. But the history of storing water for later use stretches back to ancient civilisations. Fascinating stories have emerged over the centuries, often detailing the ingenious ways the ancients used natural resources to create huge structures.

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While regulations now determine how and in what water should be stored, some of the solutions crafted as far back as BC existed for many hundreds of years. Some manmade tanks constructed in the s exist to this day.

While clearly unsuitable for potable water, they have been preserved for posterity. Back in the Bronze Age, in Asia, the Indus Valley Civilisation was doing a lot of what the Romans would go onto perfect and become famous for. The water tank was just one of the many achievements of this society.

It carefully constructed urban areas to include efficient drainage as well as water supply networks. People lived in crudely constructed brick houses, often in quite densely populated settlements. The water tank became pivotal because of lack of supply.

While early tanks were constructed from stone or wood, some made good use of watertight structures found in nature. Unfortunately for Indus Valley occupants, water storage could not save them from a lack of this precious resource. They were eventually forced to new lands in search of water and less arid soil.

A lifesaver in the medieval fortress

Medieval castles were fortresses built to be defended. They needed water in good supply, not just for defensive moats but to sustain inhabitants during long sieges. While water was often obtained from wells, it was circulated around the castle from a water tank through pipes. Often the tanks were constructed of wood. They would supply water not just for human consumption but for bathing too.

The Romans invented the castle &#; as forts. The earliest castle in England dates back to just past , which should give you a clue as to who by. Yes, William The Conqueror had it constructed as a defence mechanism. The White Tower, part of the Tower of London, was completed in having taken almost two decades to build.
The cost of constructing and maintaining castles, along with the drawbacks of living in one once gun powder was discovered, led their decline.

The water tank and agriculture

Farmers rely on the water tank to supply livestock feeders and perform important functions. Water is needed for drinking troughs, spraying and irrigation. Relying on wells, troughs and time-consuming distribution methods are, thankfully, a thing of the past. Today, British farmers benefit from a wide range of storage options, many designed for specific applications &#; even to feed troughs.

Water storage is especially important in agriculture when low rainfall or droughts can serious impact crops. Globally, farmers are doing their bit to reduce water use. This has seen them become among the first to use modern rainwater harvesting systems and other innovative means to collect and store water.

Water storage facilities used in farming are manufactured from a range of materials, including galvanised steel, MDPE and more. Without these solutions, agriculture would be even harder than it already is. Modern water storage solutions have given farmers the ability to deliver water anywhere &#; no matter what the location or terrain.

Healthcare and water supplies

In the NHS water supply systems need to meet strict criteria. That means the design and installation of all components, including a water tank, must meet guides. They need to pass commissioning and testing metrics before being used. Water is stored in hospitals, for example, to offer protection from back-flow in addition to guaranteeing reserves in the event of disruption to supplies of cold water. Tanks are also used to reduce pressure on the system as well as to lower maximum demands on mains supplies.

Increasingly, sprinkler tanks are also installed in hospitals. For both solutions, hospitals are encouraged to maintain tank valves as well as the tank themselves. Further information about water facilities used in healthcare can be found here.

The Water Tank for Fire Sprinkler Systems

Now onto our forte &#; the water tank for fire sprinkler systems. These can be constructed from a variety of materials. The concrete tank is still used in many buildings. However, it can be more prone to leaks. That is why most tanks installed today are constructed from either glass coated steel, galvanised steel or, alternatively, epoxy coated steel.

The role of the tank is to reserve water to fight a fire. The amount needed to be stored is dictated by the size, location and use of the site. This type of tank is essential if a sprinkler system is to effectively contain a fire from the earliest opportunity. Having enough water on standby to douse the seat of a blaze can stop it from impacting a larger area of a building &#; and save lives.

Locations most commonly found with a sprinkler tank include industrial warehouses, manufacturing plants, distribution centres and municipal buildings. In recently years, tanks have been installed to serve retrofitted sprinklers in tower blocks and in new school buildings, along with other types of buildings.

Future Building Regulations could dictate which buildings must have sprinklers. However, the basis of any changes is unlikely to be known until the report into the second phase of the Grenfell Inquiry is published. You can read the recommendations to come out of the first phase of the inquiry here.

Final Thoughts

Whether you lived in ancient times, in a medieval castle or exist today, the humble water tank has played a pivotal role in sustaining life. As well as delivering drinking water, it has helped to preserve countless lives and protected material assets from the ravages of fire.

It may date back to almost the beginning of time, but the water tank continues to serve a pivotal role in all our lives. While few give water storage a second thought, it is the unseen essential that performs the most vital of functions.

At Nationwide Water Solutions, we specialise in sprinkler tank installations, sprinkler tank repairs, sprinkler tank ROV inspections and much more. Unsure where to start? Simply get in touch with our team by calling or emailing us.

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A Condensed History of Corrugated Tanks

By Robert A. Harasta, Jr.

The tradition of corrugated iron began in England, where in H.R. Palmer, the engineer for the London Dock Company patented the design for corrugated iron sheet to cover the platforms to protect cargo from the weather. The patent was bought by Richard Walker, a carpenter who installed the materials over the dock, and who subsequently supplied corrugated iron for the newly opened Port Adelaide that was installed by the South Australian Company in .

In , Phoenix Iron Works, of Glasgow, patented a double-barreled fluted machine for corrugating iron by passing a flat sheet between fluted rolls to longitudinally press the metal into corrugated sheeting. The patent also included a curving machine to bend the corrugated sheet to the desired radius. This is the same method American Tank uses today!

With the advent of galvanizing in , Phoenix Iron Works went into mass production and pre-fabricated corrugated galvanized buildings were sent to California during the Gold Rush of . By corrugated galvanized iron was being widely used in the pioneer towns of Australia and the Western United States.

As railways enabled the expanded distribution of metal and other manufactured goods into more remote territories in the Americas and Australia, the use of corrugated iron sheets for roofing and siding became prevalent architectural substitutions for tile shingles and wooden clapboard siding. Metal sheeting was leak-free, fire-proof, rodent and insect resistant, and provided a means of obtaining purer rain-water collection. Other advantages of corrugated materials were they could be arched and have longer structural spanning capabilities than other materials. In Australia, there was another reason for the use of corrugated iron in remote areas; defense. In , the government in Queensland specified their telegraph stations to be built from heavy gauge corrugated iron so as to be spear proof as well as fireproof to afford protection from aboriginal rebellions and uprisings.

Circular corrugated galvanized iron tanks were first patented in by John Carter in Victoria, London and rapidly became a prominent feature of the Australian landscape.
Today, these tanks still dominate the rainwater harvesting and water storage markets in Australia. Corrugated tanks have become ubiquitous with rainwater harvesting for practical reasons as well. Not only do they have a proven reputation for long service life, water stored in metal tanks is less susceptible to bacterial and algae growth than other porous materials such as cement, wood or plastic.

With the advent of cast iron pipe in the 's, private utilities and municipalities were able to develop large scale storage and water distribution systems, but in small towns, farms and ranches throughout the US, surface water collection and shallow wells were the main sources of fresh water. But the growing demand for more sanitary water sources for disease control and readily available reserves for fire protection gave rise to the need for more affordable above ground water storage systems. In the US, wood was abundant and the material of choice for these elevated water storage structures until the end of the 19th century.

With improved methods of industrial production, steel became an economical alternative to timber. This was especially true since timber prices begun to rise in the s. It was in this era that John F. Holbrook, a prominent constructor of water works in Southern California, founded a water tank and pipe supply company in Los Angeles to serve the rapidly expanding agricultural and oil industries. Holbrook purchased belt driven corrugating and curving machines and they were brought to L.A. by wooden cargo ships that sailed around Cape Horn in the late 's.

As oil exploration and discovery blossomed in California, most of the oil production was stored in large wooden tanks. Unfortunately, in a gigantic redwood tank burst, spilling its contents onto Echo Lake, which burned for three days. This lead to the increased use of riveted steel tanks for oil storage until the mid 's when a brush fire generated enough heat to melt the solder used for seam sealant and the resultant oil leaks caught on fire. The riveted and wood oil production tanks were gradually replaced by bolted and welded tanks that were more fire resistant and could be constructed in larger capacities.
The "Black Gold Rush" of the early 's in Los Angeles caused the population of this small ocean side town to triple and this created demand for water storage in the outlying areas as homes and farms began to fill the countryside. As word of the wonderful weather, beaches, mountains and Hollywood spread across the nation, L.A. would continue to grow and become one of the largest metropolitan areas in the world.

As oil production and population expanded in the L.A. area, the corrugated galvanized tank industry flourished. National Tank & Mfg. was established in with a focus on oil and water storage vessels. Western Tank & Pipe and several other pipe manufacturer's benefitted from the synergies of riveted pipe construction which was the predominant means of making pipe seams from the 's until the 's when lock-bar and welded seams replaced riveted joints.

Meanwhile, in the Mid-Western US, farming and ranch operations generated demand for livestock feeders and grain bins while a burgeoning oil region was being developed in Oklahoma and Texas. Companies such as Butler Mfg. Co. (est. ) and Columbian Tank Co. (est. ) in Kansas, became industry leaders in the dry and liquid storage markets. With standardization and improvements in mass production of threaded fasteners and, in part due to the physical requirements of the riveting process, most companies migrated to fastening tank panels with bolted connections. Columbian Tank Co., (now CST Industries) provided their first bolted steel tank to the oil industry in .

The invention of electric arc welding in the 's enabled forming and joining of heavier steel plates and gave rise to larger and more exotic storage structures. In , Chicago Bridge & Iron Co. (now CBI) completed their first welded steel oil storage tank. One of the advantages of welded seams for tanks and vessels was that the material did not need to be overlapped as is necessary with riveted and bolted seams and heavier plates could be effectively joined.

Nonetheless, the Oil Boom years along with the Roaring 20's would come to a crashing halt as the Great Depression held the world's largest economy hostage in its firm grip. As companies down-sized, a few of J.F. Holbrook's former employees decided to start their own tank company. In , ex-foreman Paul Johnson rented a small lot on San Fernando Rd. in Northeast Los Angeles on the main highway leaving town and began a tank repair business. He lacked funding for the machinery to punch, corrugated and curve galvanized sheet to make new water tanks so he asked to borrow some seed money from his step-son, Bob Harasta (Sr.) Bob, who had been diligently saving the money he had earned while working odd jobs while still in his teens, eagerly agreed and the machinery was purchased. In gratitude to his step-son, the new business was named BH Tank Company. Soon thereafter, Paul was unable to continue to work so Bob stepped in and took over the reins in . The small company began manufacturing hand riveted corrugated galvanized steel tanks at a time when most tank manufacturers' were converting their operations to welded tank production to serve the local oil industries.

The onslaught of World War II posed other challenges and opportunities. With nearly all steel production being dedicated to the war effort, Bob volunteered to join the Navy and was trained to be a mechanic with a focus on aircraft repairs. His young wife, Goldie, was left in charge of the shop. While Bob was repairing planes in the Pacific Ocean, Goldie successfully negotiated a major storage tank refurbishment contract with the Army and earned enough profit to purchase the business property. After the war, in the subsequent boom years of the late 's and 's, the tank business, and their family, began to grow. With the added skills of welding and engineering, Bob quickly transformed BH Tank Co to included watering troughs, swimming pools, welded oil storage tanks, and tank towers to enhance the time tested and proven corrugated tank product lines.

The company was renamed BH Tank & Manufacturing Works in and Bob's products were being sold through Sears Catalogue and numerous water pump and well drilling contractors. The business continued to thrive and BH Tank earned a solid reputation for quality and service. Sadly, Bob suddenly died in leaving Goldie behind with seven children (six girls and one boy, Bob Jr.). With the momentum of the company's good reputation and stubborn perseverance, Goldie managed to maintain the company until , when her only son, Bob Jr., would take over the family business. Bob's high energy and creative business skills pushed the business to new record levels. In , the business was incorporated under the abbreviated name B.H. Tank Works, Inc. (BHTW).

With the advent of MIG wire welding in the early 's, there was increasing competition from small companies that could easily weld flat galvanized sheet metal. Wire welding was fast and did not require the artful craftsmanship required for hand riveting corrugated tank panels. To counter this competitive challenge, BHTW focused on large field erected tanks that were engineered to meet the new seismic designs being instituted by the Uniform Building Code. In BHTW purchased National Tank's corrugated tank manufacturing machinery which could accommodate heavier gauges and longer sheets than the original BH Tank machinery. J.F. Holbrook Company called it quits in so BHTW bought the remnants of their antique equipment and hired their remaining crews. The only remaining corrugated tank manufacturer's were located in Texas and Australia.

In BH Tank began selling and installing bolted steel tanks, especially when capacity requirements were greater than 100,000 gallons. In BH Tank purchased the assets of Lance Enterprises from Pete & Judy Mandeville who had developed proprietary bolted tank erection methods and tools. Over the next two decades, BH Tank became one of the largest distributors and erectors of bolted steel tanks in the US. BH Tank's engineered corrugated tank business continued to grow, specializing in storage capacities between 10,000 to 100,000 gallons.

In the late 's, rotationally molded water tanks made from high density polyethylene, began to take hold of the small residential storage tank market. Material and labor costs were far less than building and coating steel tanks. But "poly" tanks continued to be limited by size and structural design capabilities, not to mention mold capacities. To expand the steel tank manufacturing capabilities and enter new markets, BHTW acquired Valley Tank & Mfg (VTM) in Monterey County, CA in . Besides large capacity shop built welded water and waste-water processing tanks, VTM manufactured UL 142 Labeled Double-wall Fuel tanks and provided the capability to build Ammonia Diffusion tanks. With a track record of engineering prowess and code compliance, BH Tank continued to expand into market niches that had been abandoned by larger fabricators and where smaller companies lacked the experience and capability to perform.

BH Tank continued to expand its three divisions, Corrugated, Bolted and Welded and in it acquired H&H Fabrication in Madera, CA.

Having become one of the only corrugated water tank manufacturers remaining in the USA, BHTW caught the attention of BlueScope Water (BSW), an Australian division of BlueScope Steel, that was in the process of consolidating the best corrugated metal tank companies in Australia, including Pioneer Water Tanks with a focus on rainwater harvesting. In BSW acquired BH Tank and consolidated it with Pioneer's existing tank operation in Texas. BSW also acquired Highline Tank in Perth, AUS and introduced their proprietary woven tank liners and advanced corrugated tank technologies to the US.

Interestingly, BlueScope Steel also acquired Butler Buildings and other "downstream" businesses that produce and utilize profiled metal building products.

By this time, several US and Canadian grain bin manufacturers had begun selling grain bins with PVC liners. These corrugated metal structures took advantage of the synergy between large corrugated grain bin design and fabrication and could be assembled by experienced grain bin erectors. Although competition was fierce, especially during the Great Recession of -, the acceptance of liner-based corrugated tanks in the US was growing, especially in Texas and California due to extreme drought conditions. As corrugated metal tanks had become ubiquitous with the Australian landscape for rainwater collection, they are now becoming the iconic symbol of rainwater storage in the USA.

As BlueScope Water expanded into the US market, the Global Economic Downturn was taking its toll on the parent company based in Australia. In , BlueScope Steel decided to discontinue its US based BlueScope Water operations and sold the physical assets to the company that had consistently been the largest distributor of BH Classic Corrugated tank's for the last twenty years, American Tank Company, Inc. of Windsor, CA.
American Tank Co., Inc. is continuing BH Tank's tradition of engineering excellence and hand craftsmanship that has endured through competitive incursions, economic upheavals, and natural disasters for over 75 years. American Tank is dedicated to continue the historical manufacturing traditions that evolved from the Industrial Revolution and survived into the Information Age. By incorporating traditional metal tank designs with modern materials and technologies, American Tank offers products that maintain the charm and character of our predecessors, and yet, because of the inherent structural efficiency and beauty of corrugated metal, have become emblematic of modern tank construction.
Established in , American Tank has become a water storage tank powerhouse built on a bedrock of service and continued dedication to the art of corrugated tank manufacturing.

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