Water Pressure Tank Location

Water Tank Accessibility

The water tank should be readily accessible for inspection for leaks or for repairs.

Most often the pressure tank is located in a basement or utility area close to where water piping enters the building.

If the pump is a submersible (in the well) you'll find just the pressure control switching device(s) and shutoff valves near the tank, perhaps along with water filtration and treatment equipment.

If the pump is an above-ground unit (a 1-line or 2-line jet pump) then it may be quite close to or even mounted right on the pressure tank itself. The pump can be distant from the pressure tank but its control should not-be far - as we'll explain below.

Very large water tanks like the one shown just below may buried entirely, or one end may be be partly visible - a decision that may mean higher cost later if the tank needs to be repaired.

Water Tank Distance to Property Line

Building & Plumbing codes require that a water tank should be at least 10ft. or 2m from the property line.

In some communities outdoor water storage including well tanks, equipment, and even rainwater storage tanks may need to be hidden from view. Local codes may vary so check with your local building or plumbing department.

Below, an outdoor installation in a warm climate shows a Pentair Sta-Rite pump with the small pressure tank mounted right atop the pump itself. (Courtesy of an anonymous reader.)

Local codes may require that this installation be hidden from view.

Water Tank Distance to Building

Costs to install the water tank: placing a water storage tank or pressure tank far from the building it serves or from the water source increases its installation cost to run the trench and pipe and wiring to and from the water tank.

Our photo above shows a typical indoor water pressure tank and one-line jet pump located in the basement of a home.

Location of the Water Tank Indoors vs Outdoors

Indoor water tanks:

Locating water pump controls, pressure tank, and pump indoors (if an above-ground jet pump is used) offers advantages of accessibility for repair and protection from moisture, corrosion, and in cold-climates, freezing.

Outdoor water tanks:

When this water equipment is located outdoors it is readily-accessible to service personnel without having to gain access to he building interior, but located outside, it must be protected from the weather and in cold climates, from freezing.

In northern climates freeze-protection is often provided by locating all of this equipment in a well -pit or vault whose depth hopes to get below the frost line.

Because there will be electricity provided in the vault (for the pump or pump control switch), it's easy enough to add a small amount of heat if necessary. (We've used a simple 100W incandescent bulb.)

But well pits in wet climates are vulnerable as well to flooding that risks damaging the equipment.

Even simply wet conditions can make working on the pump and controls more-dangerous.

Our photo above shows an outdoor water pressure tank installed in a well pit or vault. You can see the well casing, the pressure control switch and the blue water tank all close together.

The well pit and its equipment may be considerable distance from the building that it serves.

Just below our sketch illustrates locating the water tank along with pump and controls in an above-ground well-house that offers weather-protection. (Wisconsin DNR)

Pump & Pressure Control & Water Tank Location Proximity Requirements

If your building water pressure is to be provided by a pump and tank system then you should locate the water pressure tank as close as practical to the pump pressure control switch.

The pump itself may be more-distant in many installations, such as when a submersible well pump is installed (near the bottom of the well).

Watch out: If the water pressure tank located too far from the pressure control switch, or at a different elevation from the pressure switch, the pressure switch control may not operate properly and you may find problems with pressure switch chattering or telegraphing.

Amtrol™ is quite clear about the proper water pressure tank location:

The Well-X-Trol should be installed as close as possible to the pressure switch. This will reduce the adverse effects of added friction loss and pressure switch bouncing, and the difference in elevation between WELL-X-TROL and switch.

Water pressure tanks will work rather well if placed located almost anywhere on the piping system on the same level as the pressure control switch.

Details about this topic and more references are at WATER PUMP PRESSURE SWITCH LOCATION - must be close to the pressure tank

Cyclestop, a supplier of water equipment and controls elaborates on the water pressure tank location in their article on pressure switch bouncing (cited below):

The [water pressure] tank used should always be at the end of the small water line, or without water flowing past or through it.

When the switch is placed in this location, the volume of water inside the bladder tank must change before the pressure switch will see any difference in pressure.

This eliminates hydraulic shock that the switch would experience if it were tapped directly into the main line.

Rooftop water tanks: If the water tank is sufficiently high (at least one story) above the first point of use, then water pressure in the building can be provided by gravity, alone.

Below: rooftop water tanks like these in Manhattan, N.Y., may be filled from a municipal water supply main or from a local water source whose water is lifted by a pump system.

Watch out: If a water tank is immediately atop a flat roof and just below is a bathroom, the water pressure in that bath will be pathetic unless a booster pump system is added.

See details at WATER PRESSURE BOOSTER PUMP

Too Much Distance = Water Pressure Control Switch Contact Bounce & Short Cycling Water Pumps

It's best to follow the Amtrol advice - keep the water tank and pressure switch close together.

Incorrect water pressure tank location, too far from the pressure control switch for example, can cause improper pressure control operation or pressure control switch contact "bouncing" (also called switch chatter or switch telegraphing) - turning the water pump on and off extremely rapidly.

If you have a problem such as the pump pressure control switch bouncing (the switch turning the pump on and off rapidly at the start or end of a pumping cycle) you can relocate the pressure switch to the new larger tank and run a longer wire to the pump or pump control relay.

See WATER PUMP PRESSURE CONTROL SWITCH CHATTER

Other causes of pressure switch bounce and well pump short cycling are explained

at WATER PUMP SHORT CYCLING CAUSES.

Above: dual water pressure tanks located outdoors, next to the well casing. This installation can work only in a climate not subject to freezing.

Below: A FloTec water tank installed in a tropical climate, in the crawl area below the home it serves.

Underground / Buried Water Pressure Tanks

An InspectApedia reader asked:

I Buried the water pressure tank, now the tank seems waterlogged

Hi. Very informative site. I have a well system that was put in 6 years ago. The bladder or diaphragm tank was buried according to my installer because my double wide had no basement. He also told me the tank would be good for about 20 years.

Recently, I've experienced the symptoms of a waterlogged tank, and after discussing it with the installers front office find they warranty for 5 years (a long way from 20, but I'm certainly not calling them for any further work).

Two questions: I'd like to install a new tank in an insulated box under the double wide--is this OK?

I'm also wondering if I can just use the existing line coming out of the ground and temporarily not worry about digging up the old tank and rerouting the line. Thanks for any help. - Anonymous

Reply: how to add air to a buried water pressure tank

At ADD AIR to a BURIED WATER PRESSURE TANK - we illustrate how air is added to a buried water pressure tank.

If your installer included a water tank air access kit you can add air by finding that tube top. If not, then you'd have to excavate down to the tank top to access its air valve.

See these

• Pentair, PENTAIR WELLMATE RESIDENTIAL & LOW PROFILE TANKS UNDERGROUND INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS [PDF] (at aquascience.net) Filtration & Process 5730 North Glen Park Road, Milwaukee, Wi 53209 P: 262.238.4400 | F: 262.238.4404 | www.pentairaqua.com | Customer Care: 800.279.9404 - local backup copy saved as Underground-Water-Pressure-Tanks-Pentair.pdf

Watch out: if your water tank uses an internal bladder and the bladder has developed a leak or has burst, then adding air isn't likely to be a successful fix and the tank will need replacement.

More help is at WATER TANK BLADDER TEST PROCEDURE

Watch out: in my OPINION, although there are some water pressure tanks that are designed to be buried, if your tank was an aboveground model then it would have been a serious error to actually bury a conventional water pressure tank.

An aboveground water tank is not intended for being buried nor for soil contact, nor are its safety controls such as the pressure relief valve that should have been installed at the tank, nor are the pressure sensing controls that should be installed at or close to the tank. Such an installation cannot be serviced.

When you dig up and replace your buried water tank, if it cannot be installed inside the building in a dry heated space, it can be installed in a dry, covered, but accessible "well pit" as was common practice at well heads before the pitless adapter was invented.

The large water storage tank shown above, inspected by the author, included a large air volume control, a sight glass, and quite properly, the pressure control switch mounted at a tapping near the tank top. When we see water tanks of this size at a residential property we interpret that as a sign that the water well had a very limited flow rate.

This tank had been in service for over fifty years, but when it leaked the owners chose to abandon it rather than to try to excavate and replace it with a new tank in the same location.

References worth noting for underground / buried water tanks are in the references section below.

Is under ground a good place for a bladder tank? Service is expensive

This reader asked:

I've got a 20 gallon bladder tank and the well company put it 6 ft under ground. Is it a good place for a bladder tank?

They had to dig it up once and it cost me then. What can I do to make them put it under my crawl space?
I think the water is frozen at the bottom of it during 3 sub zero temps and high wind the window next to the tank is broken and the plastic covering hole fell away and extremely cold air blew in and on tank in basement. i had frozen pipes so I placed kero heater in basement to thaw .

Before this had water but then slowly went down in pressure and then nothing.ive had no water for 2 days pipes seem warm the tank feels like water is in it but feels like its solid air comes out of air valve at top of tank when depressed.but when you hit the pipe coming out of tank sounds hollow and the pumptrol switch contacts are closed like its calling for water but nothing happens when I open the valve before the water pressure gage water comes out but no water comes out of house faucets

Can some one help please thanks for your time and input (Feb 7, 2015) avi

Reply: buried water tanks sometimes used for freeze protection if there's no basement or indoor space for the tank

Avi

I agree that your system is probably frozen. Go to our article DE-WINTERIZE a BUILDING see step by step procedrues.

If by "underground" you mean that the pressure tank is in a well pit, that is a common practice to protect the equipment from frost.

If you mean that a conventional internal bladder pressure tank was actually buried, - I'd want to know the tank brand and model and then to check with the manufacturer on where it can be installed. Some water tanks are indeed designed to permit being buried. More suggestions on living with and maintaining a buried water tank are just above on this page. - Daniel

Water Tank Location References

• Basile, Nicolas, Musandji Fuamba, and Benoit Barbeau. "Optimization of water tank design and location in water distribution systems." In Water Distribution Systems Analysis 2008, pp. 1-13. 2008.
  
  Water distribution system (WDS) design has been the subject of minimal improvements over the last decade, despite the fact that the accessibility of computer models has increased. Water distribution pipes are designed to provide adequate pressure at distribution nodes and reasonable velocities in pipes.
  
  This is usually done with a hydraulic solver coupled with the engineering expertise of the designer. Storage tanks are designed according to standard requirements considering minimal values provided by local guidelines. Storage tank allocation is generally done without taking into account the network capacity and robustness.
  
  Tanks are located next to the distribution area with highest demand and considering other site-specific constraints (topology, multiple pressure-zone systems, etc.). Optimal network configuration, in terms of hydraulic efficiency and water quality, is rarely considered.
  
  Long residence time results in the loss of disinfectant residual and favors water quality degradation. Up to now, the optimization of the WDS design and operations have mostly focused on pipe sizing and pumping schedules without taking into account storage tank locations, storage capacity and water quality.
  
  The purpose of this paper is to present a new methodology to optimize water storage tank volume and location. This methodology, will take into account hydraulic requirements as well as water quality requirements (by minimizing the residence time in order to reduce disinfectant decay and disinfection by-product formation).
  
  The proposed methodology will be tested on a small study case. The optimization model, linked with EPANET, is applied to this benchmark and results are analyzed.
• Batchabani, Essoyeke, and Musandji Fuamba. "Optimal tank design in water distribution networks: review of literature and perspectives." Journal of water resources planning and management 140, no. 2 (2014): 136-145.
• Cyclestop Valves, CORRECT PRESSURE SWITCH PLACEMENT STOPS BOUNCING or TELEGRAPHING [PDF] Cyclestop Valves, Inc., 10221 CR 6900, Lubbock, Texas 79407 USA, Email: info@constantpressurekits.com Tel: 806-885-4445 , retrieved 2022/05/01, original source: https://cyclestopvalves.com/pages/correct-pressure-switch-placement-stops-bouncing-or-telegraphing
  
  Cyclestop Valves produces water pressure tanks, cycle-stop valves, pressure control switches, pressure regulators and other water system products.
• Ghazizadeh, M. J., and S. Shahrouzi. "Effect of Household Water Tanks on Leakage Reduction for Distribution Networks under Operation." [PDF] (Waterworks Journal Website) Journal of Water and Wastewater 29, no. 5 (2018): 112-119.
  Abstract:
  Control and reduction of leakage in water distribution networks are very important due to limitation of drinking water resources. Water distribution networks are currently designed based on hourly peak consumption. Variation of the hourly water consumption causes the pressure variation and increase in water leakage.
  
  If household storage tanks are used in buildings, the water networks can be designed based on daily peak consumption, resulting in considerable reduction in the hourly flow variation. In the present study, the effect of domestic water storage tanks on the leakage level of water networks has been studied using water hydraulic simulation.
  
  The results showed that the use of household tanks can significantly reduce the leakage level for water networks under operation. For the studied networks, the average leakage reduction level were 31% and 67% for tanks on the roof and in the parking lot, respectively.
  
  The results also showed that the branched or looped plans of water network have no significant effect on the amount of leakage reduction. Results of this study can be used in developing new design methods for water distribution networks aiming pressure management and control of the leakage level.
• Graham, Jay P., and James VanDerslice. "The effectiveness of large household water storage tanks for protecting the quality of drinking water." Journal of Water and Health 5, no. 2 (2007): 307-313.
  Abstract:
  
  Many communities along the US-México border remain without infrastructure for water and sewage. Residents in these communities often collect and store their water in open 55-gallon drums. This study evaluated changes in drinking water quality resulting from an intervention that provided large closed water storage tanks (2,500-gallons) to individual homes lacking a piped water supply. After the intervention, many of the households did not change the source of their drinking water to the large storage tanks.
  
  Therefore, water quality results were first compared based on the source of the household's drinking water: store or vending machine, large tank, or collected from a public supply and transported by the household. Of the households that used the large storage tank as their drinking water supply, drinking water quality was generally of poorer quality.
  
  Fifty-four percent of samples collected prior to intervention had detectable levels of total coliforms, while 82% of samples were positive nine months after the intervention (p < 0.05).
  
  Exploratory analyses were also carried out to measure water quality at different points between collection by water delivery trucks and delivery to the household's large storage tank. Thirty percent of the samples taken immediately after water was delivered to the home had high total coliforms (>10 CFU/100 ml). Mean free chlorine levels dropped from 0.43 mg/l, where the trucks filled their tanks, to 0.20 mg/l inside the household's tank immediately after delivery.
  
  Results of this study have implications for interventions that focus on safe water treatment and storage in the home, and for guidelines regarding the level of free chlorine required in water delivered by water delivery trucks.
• Haskew Jr, George M. "Storage Tank Location." Journal‐American Water Works Association 55, no. 3 (1963): 296-302.
  Abstract:
  
  This article discusses the proper location of water storage tanks connected with a water distribution system for distribution storage, including elevated, standpipe, or ground storage tanks.
  
  In addition to engineering requirements, which will designate the desirable location, the article discusses other issues including: governmental zoning regulations; elevation and technical requirements of the connecting distribution system; esthetic aspects which may affect public relations; architectural quality, crowding, and the availability of sufficient land for landscaping; and, the effects of a tank on adjoining properties.
• Ramirez, Abelardo, William Daily, Andrew Binley, Douglas LaBrecque, and David Roelant. "Detection of leaks in underground storage tanks using electrical resistance methods." Journal of Environmental & Engineering Geophysics 1, no. 3 (1996): 189-203.
  Abstract:
  Two field experiments were performed to evaluate the performance of electrical resistance tomography (ERT) as a leak detection method under metal underground storage tanks (UST). This document provides a summary of field experiment results performed under a 15 m diameter steel tank mockup located at the Hanford Reservation, Washington, and of supporting numerical simulations.
  
  Two different leak events were created. About 3800 liters of saline solution were first released along a portion of the tank's edge and another 1900 liters were later released near the tank's center. The release rate averaged about 26 liters/hour for the leak on the tank's side and about 3.0 liters/hour for the center leak. Two- and three-dimensional tomographs were calculated using data collected before, during and after each spill.
  
  The tomographs mapped the spatial and temporal evolution of resistivity changes caused by the leak; as the solution penetrated the soil, readily detectable resistivity decreases were observed and used to map the associated plume. The results show that the metal tank has significant effects on the results obtained, primarily in reducing sensitivity to the leak. The field results indicate that the plume associated with these releases could be reliably detected after approximately 190 liters were released.
  
  Results are also shown where the metal tank and metal-cased boreholes are used as large electrodes. We use the field results to extrapolate how these techniques could be used to detect and locate leaks, and to delineate any resulting plumes from the underground storage tanks.
• WI DNR, DRIVEN POINT (Sand-Point) WELLS, [PDF] Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, PUB DG 022 2010 retrieved 2018/06/12, original source: https://dnr.wi.gov/files/PDF/pubs/DG/DG0022.pdf
• Xu, Yue, and Xiao-yu Zhang. "Research on pressure optimization effect of high level water tank by drinking water network hydraulic model." Procedia Engineering 31 (2012): 958-966.