The Norwesco 160 Gallon Black Vertical Storage Tank (SKU N-44536B) is a polyethylene vertical tank built for setups where floor space is tight but overhead room is available. It stands 69 inches tall on a 28-inch-diameter footprint, holds 160 gallons, and its black exterior blocks light to help limit algae growth in stored water compared with translucent tanks. Here are the numbers a buyer sizes around:
- Capacity: 160 gallons
- Dimensions: 69 in height × 28 in diameter
- Full water weight: ~1,334 lb
- Max rated contents: ~2,002 lb at 1.5 specific gravity
- Material: polyethylene, black
- Ships from: Lancaster, OH or Sheldon, IA (LTL, quoted live to your ZIP)
Will it work for your setup?
Match the job to the numbers. For non-potable water, the 160-gallon capacity and 1.5 SG rating give you real headroom over plain water, so the tank is not stressed by the load. The 1.5 rating is also your ceiling for heavier fluids: 160 gallons of any contents up to 1.5 specific gravity fills the tank without exceeding its ~2,002 lb structural rating. Before you commit to a spot, confirm the 28-inch diameter clears your doorway, pad, or trailer deck and that you have the full 69 inches of vertical clearance. If you are not sure whether 160 gallons matches your draw-down or catchment, our Tank Sizing Calculator and Tank Sizing Guide walk through the math.
Weight, siting, and the pad
A full vertical tank is heavy and static, so it needs a flat, fully supporting base around its entire 28-inch footprint — not point-loaded blocks. Size the pad for the loaded weight. If you are pouring a slab, our guide on concrete pad sizing for above-ground polyethylene tanks covers the ACI framework. In cold climates, plan freeze protection before the first hard night; the fire-water reservoir design guide gets into freeze engineering for remote sites, and if you are aggregating grey-water, rainwater, or condensate, the water reuse topology guide shows how a vertical storage tank like this one fits a banded storage train.
The mistake to avoid
The common miss on a tall, narrow vertical tank is setting it on an uneven or partial base. These tanks concentrate their load through the bottom, so a base that is not flat and full-contact can stress the shell over time. Level the pad and support the whole footprint. Outlet and fitting sizes are called out on the technical drawing on this page — confirm them there before you order bulkhead or gasket hardware.
This tank ships LTL freight from the nearest Norwesco plant — Sheldon, IA or Lancaster, OH — with the cost quoted live to your ZIP. Its 28-inch diameter and 69-inch height let it ride upright on a standard LTL pallet, which keeps handling straightforward. Get a number in seconds with our Freight Cost Estimator, or call us at 866-418-1777 and we will size, quote, and route it for you.
