Habitat 101: Intro to Water Tanks

Water tanks are typically constructed of three-inch-thick planks of wood, usually cedar, bound together with circular iron hoops. Hidden from view, but resting on the walls is a flat wooden cover and, above that, a conical roof made from pine or plywood. The whole structure is mounted on steel supports that lift the tank some 15 to 20 feet above the roof surface. Tanks last a minimum of 20 to 25 years and, with proper maintenance, could have a useful life of 40 years.

The Department of Buildings has very specific requirements for every detail of the piping and operation of the tanks, and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene regulates the procedure for safeguarding the potability of the water. The city requires they receive annual cleaning and disinfection.

Because the bottom part of the tank contains water that has to be reserved, by code, for firefighting, only water from the top half is drawn off for domestic use – drinking, cooking, showering, and flushing toilets. This lets the tank acts as a settling basin to allow sediment to filter to the bottom.

One of the most important recommendations for any building with a roof tank is to have building staff visit the roof each week to check for any sign of overflows, or any wear and tear on the pipe insulation or other parts of the structure. A more thorough inspection is provided as part of the annual maintenance contract that water-tank companies offer. 

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