ᐅ Using an Oil Storage Tank as a Cistern: Has Anyone Done This?
Created on: 18 Jan 2020 16:25
P
Pinky0301
Hello,
I wasn’t sure in which section to post this question, but since I find the topic ecological, I chose to post here.
Our house, which we are renovating, had an oil heating system until this week. The tank is a 10,000-liter (2,642-gallon) spherical tank buried in the front yard. Now the question is what to do with it.
Option 1: Disposal. I am currently getting some quotes for that. I wonder how much of the area around the tank needs to be excavated and how to fill the hole afterward.
Option 2: Use it as a cistern for garden irrigation. We have a large roof area, so we definitely collect a lot of water. The downspout is about 15 meters (49 feet) away. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to get the water from the downspout into the cistern. Maybe the distance is already too far? Also, a cistern needs to be cleaned. The tank has a very small access hatch; I can’t imagine how someone could fit through it.
Has anyone here ever done something like this (option 2) or heard about it?
I wasn’t sure in which section to post this question, but since I find the topic ecological, I chose to post here.
Our house, which we are renovating, had an oil heating system until this week. The tank is a 10,000-liter (2,642-gallon) spherical tank buried in the front yard. Now the question is what to do with it.
Option 1: Disposal. I am currently getting some quotes for that. I wonder how much of the area around the tank needs to be excavated and how to fill the hole afterward.
Option 2: Use it as a cistern for garden irrigation. We have a large roof area, so we definitely collect a lot of water. The downspout is about 15 meters (49 feet) away. Unfortunately, I have no idea how to get the water from the downspout into the cistern. Maybe the distance is already too far? Also, a cistern needs to be cleaned. The tank has a very small access hatch; I can’t imagine how someone could fit through it.
Has anyone here ever done something like this (option 2) or heard about it?
G
Gartenfreund19 Jan 2020 02:29I would dispose of the tank.
Then, at a location where the rainwater pipe and the pipe to the tap fit better, install a proper underground cistern. The excavation material can be used to refill the hole where the oil tank was situated.
Regarding the wastewater fees, I can tell you that this is exactly why a cistern was installed here. The fee is about 1.40 €/m² (1.40 €/11 ft²) of sealed surface area. For a house measuring 10 x 10 meters (33 x 33 feet), that already saves around €140 per year. Additionally, the garage, driveway, and possibly other sealed areas contribute to this amount, so the savings can add up.
However, you can only save this money if the cistern is not connected to the sewer but all rainwater is allowed to infiltrate on the property itself.
If you want the water to infiltrate underground, a paid permit from the local water authority is required—at least that’s the case here. Therefore, an above-ground infiltration system was preferred.
Then, at a location where the rainwater pipe and the pipe to the tap fit better, install a proper underground cistern. The excavation material can be used to refill the hole where the oil tank was situated.
Regarding the wastewater fees, I can tell you that this is exactly why a cistern was installed here. The fee is about 1.40 €/m² (1.40 €/11 ft²) of sealed surface area. For a house measuring 10 x 10 meters (33 x 33 feet), that already saves around €140 per year. Additionally, the garage, driveway, and possibly other sealed areas contribute to this amount, so the savings can add up.
However, you can only save this money if the cistern is not connected to the sewer but all rainwater is allowed to infiltrate on the property itself.
If you want the water to infiltrate underground, a paid permit from the local water authority is required—at least that’s the case here. Therefore, an above-ground infiltration system was preferred.
Vicky Pedia21 Jan 2020 21:46Here in Thailand, 15 m² (160 ft²) of building area grants an exemption for every 2 m³ (70 ft³) of cistern volume. This means that for a 10x10 meter (33x33 ft) house, at least 6 m³ (210 ft³) is required. Estimated construction costs, including disposal of the old tank, are around €8,000.
The current stormwater fee is €0.52 per m² (€0.52 per 10.8 ft²). With a fully sealed area of 100 m² (1,076 ft²), the annual saving is €52. Based on the construction costs mentioned above, the cistern would pay for itself after 153 years. If these costs were assumed to be only half as much, it would pay off after 76 years. Therefore, I would suggest reconsidering @Gartenfreund’s opinion, at least from an economic perspective.
The current stormwater fee is €0.52 per m² (€0.52 per 10.8 ft²). With a fully sealed area of 100 m² (1,076 ft²), the annual saving is €52. Based on the construction costs mentioned above, the cistern would pay for itself after 153 years. If these costs were assumed to be only half as much, it would pay off after 76 years. Therefore, I would suggest reconsidering @Gartenfreund’s opinion, at least from an economic perspective.
I haven’t fully understood or recalculated the fee schedule of our area yet. However, I think the amount we would save isn’t really that much. I’ve already received a few quotes for decommissioning and disposing of the tank, but unfortunately no offers yet for converting it into a cistern—only an indication that it would cost several thousand euros. For that amount, we could probably have a new cistern installed instead. It probably would never pay off.
Vicky Pedia22 Jan 2020 15:30If you have an excavator on the property, break through the ground using a jackhammer and then fill the hole. Digging out and disposing of a volume of 10m³ (350 cubic feet) creates a huge hole (both in the garden and in your wallet).
Joedreck schrieb:
Please make sure that the professional company gives you a certificate confirming the decommissioning. You can then use this to deregister your tank with the relevant authority.Until then, how often and in what way should the tank be inspected?https://www.instagram.com/11antgmxde/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/bauen-jetzt/
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