I am in the process of constructing a natural storage water tank. I would be pumping water from borewells into the storage tank and pumping out the water from the tank to the plants. I have dug a pit of 25 feet (length) x 15 feet (width) x 7 feet (height) to construct a sub-surface storage water tank
The conventional method of constructing a storage water tank is to construct a concrete water tank. I am interested in constructing a natural storage water tank with minimal tank lining and using construction aggregates as liner material without any cement plastering. I have the following queries
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*s+How should I go about constructing a natural water storage tank, what should be the process and materials required
How can I avoid evaporation losses of water? The soil in the farm absorbs water very quickly. For instance we had 3 feet water in the dug up mud tank / pond sometime ago, and the water evaporated within 3 to 4 days. What should I do to ensure that water does not seep underneath and on the side walls of the tank? What materials should I use
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Suggestions from experts on this forum will be very much appreciated
Dear P S Krishnan,
That’s good you are constructing water storage tank Underground or open pound. kindly note some points which may help you.
1- If you are going for open pit in the land without any walls or base floor. there is a chance of seepage of water & evaporation. you cannot avoid the seepage but you can control the evaporation by spraying any oil on the top of the water.
2- You can construct a tarpaulin sheet lining in the pound base & walls, and can cover with the same tarpaulin sheet on top as your tank size is not so big
3- Do not go for concrete walls & base floor it will cost you a huge money. your point is correct it is not required plastering.
4- The Best one is use concrete floor bed that is big road base aggregate. floor bed thickness 8 inch & construct a granite wall of size 18 inches or 2 feet width. This also not required any plastering on the walls and floor. for safety you can use 6 mm steel rod on the top floor and make a plaster. do not forget to use the water proofing agent to mix in cement mortar. You can cover top with tarpaulin.
By far the economical way of doing it as I have seen at various farms is people dig a pit and a trench around the top. They roll silpaulin, pondliner or any similar material and bury them on the top.