Over50000 Litres
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Sizing, regulations, installation. Our team has been answering these questions for over 25 years.
Does your business or project require substantial water storage? At Tanks Direct, we offer large, galvanised steel water tanks
with capacities ranging from 54,000 to 500,000 litres. The steel meets BS2989:1982 standards and is galvanised with lead-free zinc to 275g/m² per EN10142, ensuring durability and safety. You can use them for a variety of purposes, such as storing drinking water for emergency humanitarian aid, harvesting rainwater for recycling, or supplying irrigation water for horticulture, nurseries, garden centres, and sports playing surfaces. They're also well-suited for aquaculture, dust suppression, attenuation, and grey water storage, providing flexibility across industries. They're easy to install, with a photographic instruction manual included to guide you through the process and come with a 10-year warranty on panels and liners for added peace of mind. You can choose covers to match your application€”galvanised steel with two hatches or anti-algae woven polypropylene€”ensuring the water stays protected. If you're looking for something smaller, we also offer a wide range of other water tanks up to 50,000 litre.
Over 50000 Litres FAQs
What foundation does a tank over 50,000 litres need?
These tanks require a level, compacted base capable of bearing significant point and overall loads — typically a reinforced concrete slab or ring beam sized to the tank's diameter, designed to your ground conditions. A full water tank of this size can weigh well over 50 tonnes, so we'd always recommend having a structural engineer confirm the base design before installation. We can supply the tank's footprint and loading data to help with this.
Can these large tanks be installed above ground, or do they need to be buried?
Our galvanised steel tanks in this range are designed for above-ground installation only. They're not suitable for burial as the panel and liner construction isn't rated for the soil and groundwater loading involved. If you need underground storage at this capacity, you'd typically be looking at linked GRP or concrete below-ground tanks instead.
How is a tank this size delivered and installed on site?
Tanks over 50,000 litres arrive as flat-packed galvanised steel panels, liners, and fixings on palletised or crated loads, requiring suitable offloading equipment and site access for a large vehicle. Installation is carried out on-site by bolting the panels together and fitting the liner, following the photographic instruction manual supplied — most competent contractors or a keen self-build team can complete this without specialist tank-erection skills. Do check ground access and turning space for delivery vehicles before ordering, particularly on rural or restricted sites.
What's the difference between the galvanised steel cover and the anti-algae woven polypropylene cover?
The galvanised steel cover with two hatches offers a rigid, secure top with lockable access points, better suited to sites needing higher security or where the cover may be walked on. The anti-algae woven polypropylene cover is lighter and more cost-effective, and its treated fabric limits light penetration to reduce algae growth in the stored water. Choice generally comes down to security requirements versus budget and ease of handling.
Are these tanks suitable for storing drinking water?
Yes, with the appropriate liner these tanks can be used for potable water storage, including emergency humanitarian aid supplies, provided the liner and any fittings are WRAS-approved. The galvanised steel panel structure itself is the same regardless of use — it's the liner specification that determines whether the tank is suitable for wholesome water or non-potable applications like irrigation and grey water. Let us know the intended use when ordering so we can confirm the correct liner.
What size tank do I need for irrigation or dust suppression use?
This depends on your daily demand, refill rate, and how much buffer storage you need between fills — for example, a nursery irrigating during dry spells may need several days' reserve, while dust suppression on a working site might only need a day's supply topped up regularly. As a rough guide, our range from 54,000 to 500,000 litres covers everything from a single sports pitch irrigation system up to large-scale horticultural or aggregate site demand. Get in touch with your daily usage figures and we can help you size the right tank.