1000 Gallon Plastic Water Storage Tank - Black (64" x 81"): Complete Buyer's Guide
A 1,000-gallon black water tank from Norwesco in the tall 64-by-81 standard profile, seamlessly molded in FDA-grade polyethylene — the size most rural systems are designed around.
Specifications at a Glance
Every figure below is pulled straight from the live product record for this exact tank — the same data on the product page, so what you read here and what you buy never disagree.
Standards & Materials
- ASTM D1998 — Standard Specification for Polyethylene Upright Storage Tanks. Governs wall-thickness and hydrostatic design for vertical rotomolded poly tanks of this class.
- FDA 21 CFR 177.1520 — Olefin polymers. The food-contact regulation the FDA-grade resin in this tank is compounded to meet.
- Specific gravity rating 1.1 — the tank is engineered for liquids up to 1.1× the density of water (water is about 8.34 lb/gal). Confirm your fluid’s SG before storage.
Product Overview
This 1,000-gallon black Norwesco is the standard-bearer of rural water storage — the size most well-and-cistern systems are designed around. It rises 81 inches on a 64-inch diameter, a tall vertical proportion chosen so the tank delivers steady gravity pressure and occupies under 24 square feet of ground. The 155-pound empty shell is light enough to position by hand, which makes a one-day install realistic for a competent owner.
It is molded as a single seamless piece of virgin linear polyethylene, with black UV pigment compounded into the resin so a thousand gallons of water stays shaded from the algae-feeding sun. The 1.1 specific gravity rating covers water and compatible liquids to 9.2 pounds per gallon, and the tank carries FDA approval for potable and food-grade service.
Brimming with water it bears down with roughly 9,329 pounds — call it four and a half tons — on a base under 24 square feet, so the pad must be built for the load and dead flat. A factory 2-inch NPT outlet and 1.5-inch NPT inlet, both leak-tested, handle the plumbing, and the 16-inch lid opens for cleaning and sensors. Norwesco's 3-year warranty backs the tank.
Technical Drawing
Official Norwesco technical drawing — 1000 Gallon Plastic Water Storage Tank - Black (64" x 81")
Key Features and Specifications
- 1,000-gallon capacity — sized for safe potable water storage
- Constructed from virgin linear polyethylene (HDPE) with 1.1 specific gravity rating — handles liquids up to 9.2 lbs/gal
- 81" tall x 64" diameter — compact vertical footprint
- 155 lbs empty, approximately 9,329 lbs when full at rated specific gravity
- 2" NPT outlet fitting — factory installed and leak-tested
- 1.5" NPT inlet fitting included
- 16" lid opening for fill, venting, and interior access
- FDA approved for potable water and food-grade liquid contact
- 3 Year Warranty from Norwesco against manufacturing defects
- UV-resistant black pigmentation provides maximum outdoor durability and inhibits algae growth in stored liquids
- Rated for continuous service up to 120 F / 48 C
- Seamless one-piece rotational molding — no seams, no welds, no leak points
- Manufactured by Norwesco — a leading name in rotomolded polyethylene tanks
- Place on a firm, level surface free of rocks or sharp objects that could damage the tank bottom. Ensure adequate ventilation if stored chemicals produce vapors
- Ships via LTL freight — allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. Lift gate and residential delivery available at additional cost
Installation and Setup Guide
Because this is the tank so many rural systems are built around, it pays to install it like the long-term fixture it will become. Four and a half tons on a 64-inch base means the pad is the part you cannot shortcut.
Site Preparation
Lay a four-inch compacted gravel pad or pour a concrete slab covering the full 64-inch base, and bring it flat to within a quarter inch across the circle. The footprint is compact, so the load has nowhere to self-level — you have to make the surface true yourself. Choose ground that sheds water, and pick out every stone before the tank lands.
Placement and Connections
Keep two feet of clearance on all sides so the tall shell can be walked and serviced, not just plumbed. Run the 2-inch outlet to your distribution by the shortest path to hold pressure, and connect both it and the 1.5-inch inlet through flexible couplings — the tank's thermal cycling will outlast any rigid joint.
Venting
A thousand-gallon tank needs a vent that can keep up with your pump. Draw water faster than air returns and the tall wall pulls inward; a screened lid vent sized to your peak flow keeps pressure equal both directions and bars insects from the supply.
Maintenance and Long-Term Care
Treat the 1,000 to a real quarterly inspection — it is doing too important a job to ignore, and four and a half tons makes any foundation issue worth catching early.
Quarterly Inspection Checklist
- Shell walk: circle the tank looking for bulging, fading, or weeping, with extra attention on the lower wall under the deepest water.
- Fittings: hand-snug the 2-inch outlet and 1.5-inch inlet; a quarter turn past finger-tight, never a wrench.
- Foundation: confirm the pad is level and the compact base is still fully and evenly supported.
- Vent: verify the lid vent is open and the screen is clear.
Cleaning
As a potable supply, flush it annually: drain low, sanitize with unscented bleach at about a quarter cup per 15 gallons of clean water, hold two hours, and rinse until the chlorine clears. Reach through the 16-inch lid to wipe the bottom dish where sediment settles; on a primary water tank the yearly flush is the most valuable thing you do for water quality.
UV and Weather Protection
Black resin is the correct pigment for an outdoor primary tank and shrugs off sun that would fade white. In a high-sun region, glance at the sun-facing wall yearly and shade it if you can — cooler stored water and a longer-lived tank are both worth the small effort.
Alternatives and Comparisons
This 81-by-64 thousand-gallon tank is the tall, standard-profile workhorse. The shorter 80-by-64 build of the same volume shaves an inch of height for a tight overhead; the natural-white liquid version trades the black algae barrier for a translucent level gauge suited to a farm chemical. If a thousand gallons runs short for your system, the 1,100 and 1,350 step up with a similar footprint and a bigger reserve.
Other 1000-Gallon Options
Frequently Asked Questions
How long will the 1000 Gallon Plastic Water Storage Tank - Black (64" x 81") last?
Fifteen to twenty years, and routinely the upper end when the tank is set dead level and kept within its 1.1 SG and 120 F ratings. The molded-in black UV package carries it through years of sun, and the seamless mold leaves no joint to fail — a true pad does the rest.
What chemicals can I store in this tank?
It is built for potable water and FDA-cleared for drinking water and food-grade liquids, and within 1.1 specific gravity it also holds light farm and cleaning solutions. Fuels, solvents, and flammables are off-limits, as is anything over 9.2 pounds per gallon. Confirm any new chemical on a compatibility chart first.
What kind of foundation does a 1000-gallon tank need?
Full of water it weighs about 9,329 pounds — four and a half tons — on a compact 64-inch base. A four-inch gravel pad or concrete slab handles it, provided the surface is dead flat and stone-free. The small footprint leaves no room for the load to self-level, so level it carefully.
Does this tank come with a warranty?
Norwesco provides three years of warranty against molding flaws, pinholes, and factory fitting defects. Overloading past 1.1 SG, a poor foundation, incompatible chemistry, and impact are excluded. Retain your receipt and installation photos to support any claim.
Can I install this tank underground?
No. This is an above-ground vertical tank whose walls cannot take soil pressure; burial risks collapse and voids the warranty. For below-grade water, use a ribbed underground cistern.
Buying Considerations
Three quick checks before ordering. First, a compact but perfectly level pad built for four and a half tons. Second, contents that stay at or under 1.1 specific gravity. Third, the freight — this tank ships LTL by flatbed and needs a forklift or a few hands to unload. Tell us about your site and we will set up the right delivery and unload method.
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