Underground Storage of Potable & Fire Protection Water

Xerxes Tanks Offer Many Advantages in Underground Storage of Water Supplies Minneapolis-based, fiberglass-tank manufacturer Xerxes Corporation supplied two single-wall fiberglass tanks for a housing development located on the shores of a Rocky Mountain river. The installation had some unusual aspects. Due to local regulations, the developer of the housing project needed an underground storage system that would store both potable water and fire-protection water. This required larger storage tanks than usually found on projects of this type. Fiberglass tanks have many advantages over other systems in underground water applications. Since water by nature creates a corrosive environment, corrosion is often the major weakness in underground storage systems. Unlike steel and concrete tanks, Xerxes fiberglass tanks are constructed of materials that are corrosion-resistant, which offers long-term, internal and external protection against leakage due to rust and corrosion. In manufacturing its tanks, Xerxes combines high-quality resin and glass to produce a quality product. Like fluting in corrugated cardboard, the integral ribs in Xerxes tanks add strength, and since the ribs and tanks are made of the same materials and are manufactured simultaneously, the result is a structurally strong product. Xerxes fiberglass tanks are also much more lightweight than steel and concrete systems, making them easy to ship and easy to install, which is especially important for water applications because many of these installations are in remote or hard-reach locations, or are at sites with limited excavation space. The requirements for this Rocky Mountain housing project were met by manifolding two 30,000-gallon tanks so they operate as one tank with a total storage capacity of 60,000 gallons. The tanks are fed by a well, which is typical of water systems in remote areas because of the high cost of running a main line to the system. This system has a potential of pumping out 300 gallons of water a minute in emergency conditions. Although this large and dual-purpose system was somewhat unusual, Xerxes has been providing underground water storage tanks both large and small for many years. Well-known for decades as a major supplier to the petroleum industry, today Xerxes is also a major supplier of storage vessels for potable water, fire-protection water, irrigation water, gray water, septage, leachate and chemicals. In addition to housing developments such as this Rocky Mountain installation, typical sites for sprinkler water applications include hospitals, multistory buildings, resorts and schools. Xerxes? manufacturing facilities are strategically located throughout the United States, which provides customers with prompt and economical delivery and service.