Using a fuel tank for water storage?

CliffordK · Jul 27, 2013

I've been looking for a new water tank. Mainly for watering around the yard, although I suppose I do like getting a drink from the garden hose periodically.

I saw on Craigslist a 1000G fuel tank with stand for a good price. I like the idea of a 6 foot (or so) stand, although a vertical tank might be better than horizontal.

Could it be used?
How long until the water would be "safe"?

Tollster · Jul 27, 2013

Farmer up the road has one, pumps the water from the creek then goes back and waters his yard and garden. Flush it out best ya can, it'll only get better with time

powerpace · Jul 27, 2013

Probably not be safe unless cleaned (steamed, chemical cleaning to get the hydrocarbons out of the metal). I would never use it for drinking.

burnieman · Jul 27, 2013

powerpace said:
Probably not be safe unless cleaned (steamed, chemical cleaning to get the hydrocarbons out of the metal). I would never use it for drinking.

I concur. If you drink the water there will be residual chemicals that could make a boob grow on your back.

sandman2234 · Jul 27, 2013

I think I would continue looking, rather than take a chance with my health by drinking water from a definitely suspicious source. How do you know they didn't keep hazmats in the tank prior to deciding to start storing petro chemicals in it? Don't think the seller is going to warrant it, so if drinking water is what you want, buy a tank for potable water. I wouldn't even buy a tank that held Non-potable water to use for drinking water (which are available) but definitely wouldn't try a fuel tank.
Suggestion.... tank a one gallon gas can made from the same material as the tank you are proposing to buy and fill it with gas or diesel fuel, let stand for a week, then empty. Now see just how much effort and fluids it takes to get that one gallon tank to quit smelling or tasting like fuel and then multiply your efforts and cleaning fluids by 1000.
Just not worth it.
David from jax

teejk · Jul 27, 2013

Short of sticking wood or charcoal into it and burning it out, I don't know whether you could ever chemically clean it. And then there is that EPA stuff...you inherit any problems associated with that tank. I think I'd pass.

Jstpssng · Jul 27, 2013

A drained fuel tank can be a cheap source of irrigation water. Try tying it in with rain gutters on your buildings...runoff water is a free source for irrigation. Unless there's a lot of sludge in it any oil which hasn't been drained off or evaporated is going to be pretty well diluted by the time you fill it.

A gallon jug of water by the tank can quench your thirst... most garden hoses aren't rated for drinking water anyways.

creekbend · Jul 27, 2013

Have you considered the plastic totes? I bought a 275 gallon plastic tote encased in a cage and sitting on a plastic pallet. The price is normally $75.00-$100.00, but I got mine for $35.00 less than a year ago. It was only used once for transporting shampoo.

CliffordK · Jul 28, 2013

I may go with a tote.
I did discover that a translucent barrel is a great place for algae to grow, although algae really doesn't hurt much other than getting into any holes you don't want to clog. Opaque apparently helps prevent algae growth.

I was thinking of designing my system with 2 tanks/barrels. One for irrigation, and one for drinking. Fill the household/drinking barrel first, then send the overflow into the irrigation tank. Thus, 55 gallons would be pretty much as much as I would need in the house at a time, and it wouldn't go dry.

I am still considering an ex-dairy tank with stainless liner, and some insulation. I liked the idea of the fuel tank already being with a stand, but I can probably build a stand for other tanks, then figure out how to get the tank mounted on the stand so I'll probably pass on the fuel tank. I would also have preferred vertical over horizontal orientation anyway.

Gutter water would be nice, except we haven't had a drop of rain since early June, so the storage amount would have to be high to make a dent in the summer irrigation needs.

However, I have a small spring that I've been pumping from. I think my flow rate is dropping a bit now, but I'm still getting at least a couple hundred gallons a day. It certainly doesn't go as far as I would like it to with trying to water a few fruit trees, but it is quite a bit of cheap water.