A 1,350-gallon black potable water tank from Norwesco in a tall, footprint-saving profile — more reserve than a 1,000 where ground is scarce, in seamless FDA-grade polyethylene.

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.

Manufacturer	Norwesco
Manufacturer Part #	N-40860
Nominal Capacity	1350 Gallons
Footprint (Diameter)	71"
Overall Height	88"
Empty Weight	205 lb
Material	Polyethylene (HDPE)
Color	Black
Rated Specific Gravity	1.1
Certifications	FDA Approved, UV Stabilized
Warranty	3 Year
Shipping	Ships LTL motor freight

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

The 1,350-gallon Norwesco is the tank you reach for when 1,000 gallons keeps coming up short but a 1,500 will not fit the spot you have. Where the 1,100 is a low wide drum, this one stands tall and narrow — 88 inches of height over a 71-inch diameter — so it claims roughly 27 square feet of ground while still holding a third again as much water. That vertical proportion is a quiet advantage: the taller liquid column means stronger gravity feed at the outlet and a tank that tucks against a wall or into a corner where a fatter shell could not.

It is molded as one seamless piece of virgin linear polyethylene with black UV pigment cooked into the resin, so the wall blocks the sunlight that would otherwise turn a stored water supply green. Rated to 1.1 specific gravity, it carries water and any compatible liquid up to 9.2 pounds per gallon, and it is FDA-approved for potable and food-grade service.

Empty it is a 204-pound shell; brimming with water it presses down with roughly 12,589 pounds, so the foundation has to be built for better than six tons. A factory 2-inch NPT outlet and 1.5-inch NPT inlet handle the plumbing, both leak-tested at the plant, and the 16-inch lid opens the top for inspection, cleaning, or a level sensor. The Norwesco 3-year warranty applies.

Technical Drawing

Official Norwesco technical drawing — 1350 Gallon Plastic Water Storage Tank

Key Features and Specifications

1,350-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
88" tall x 71" diameter — compact vertical footprint
204 lbs empty, approximately 12,589 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
Install on a level, compacted surface. Ensure adequate clearance above for lid access and around the perimeter for plumbing connections and visual inspection
Ships via LTL freight — allow 2-3 weeks for delivery. Lift gate and residential delivery available at additional cost

Installation and Setup Guide

A taller tank is less forgiving of a tilted pad than a squat one — the same lean that a wide tank shrugs off becomes a real overturning moment on an 88-inch column. So with the 1,350, level is not a nicety, it is structural.

Site Preparation

Choose a spot that drains and that is sheltered from the worst of the prevailing wind, because an empty tall tank can catch a gust. Build a four-inch compacted gravel pad or a concrete slab covering the full 71-inch base, finished flat to within a quarter inch across the whole circle. Rake out stones and roots; a single buried rock under a six-ton load becomes a point of stress the wall remembers through every fill cycle.

Placement and Connections

Keep at least 24 inches of clearance all around for service access and so the tall shell never leans against a structure. Orient the 2-inch outlet toward the shortest practical pipe run to preserve head pressure. Connect both the outlet and the 1.5-inch inlet through flexible couplings for the first foot — the wall grows and shrinks with temperature, and a rigid pipe will eventually wring the fitting loose.

Venting

Match the vent to your flow. The tall narrow shape actually makes venting more critical, because a fast draw on a deep column pulls a strong vacuum quickly. A screened atmospheric vent in the 16-inch lid, sized to your pump, lets air follow the water both ways and keeps the walls from oil-canning inward.

Maintenance and Long-Term Care

Inspection on the 1,350 follows the water down the column. Most of what goes wrong shows up either at the base, where the load concentrates, or at the lid, where the vent lives.

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Quarterly Inspection Checklist

Base and lower wall: look hardest at the bottom 18 inches, where the deepest water exerts the most pressure. Any bulge or distortion there points to a settled pad or an overweight liquid.
Fittings: hand-snug the 2-inch outlet and 1.5-inch inlet. Plastic creeps, so connections that were tight last quarter may have backed off — stop at a quarter turn past finger-tight, never a wrench.
Pad and plumb: check that the tall shell still stands plumb and the pad has not settled on one side; a tank this tall telegraphs a sinking foundation as a visible lean.
Vent: confirm the lid vent is clear — on a tall tank a blocked vent does its damage faster.

Cleaning

Flush the tank annually since it stores potable water. Drain it down, sanitize with about a quarter cup of unscented bleach for every 15 gallons of clean water, give it two hours of contact time, then rinse the chlorine out completely. The deep narrow shape concentrates sediment in a smaller bottom area, which actually makes the yearly rinse quicker than on a wide tank.

UV and Weather Protection

Black resin is the correct choice for unshaded outdoor water storage, and it shrugs off sun that would fade a white tank. The one thing worth an annual glance is the western face, which takes the harshest afternoon load; a shade screen there is cheap insurance in high-UV country.

Alternatives and Comparisons

The 1,350 exists for buyers boxed in on footprint. If you have the floor space, a wider 1,500-gallon tank gives you more water for a similar price and a more stable stance; if you are fighting for ground, this taller shell is the answer. Against the black potable model here, the translucent liquid-storage tank in this class trades sun protection for a see-through level gauge — choose by whether your priority is clean drinking water or visible inventory of a farm chemical.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long will the 1350 Gallon Plastic Water Storage Tank last?

Fifteen to twenty years is the realistic window, biased toward the high end when the tank is set dead level and kept within its 1.1 SG and 120 F ratings. On a tall tank the foundation matters even more than usual — a tank held plumb on a true pad outlives one that spends years leaning a few degrees.

What chemicals can I store in this tank?

Potable water is its purpose, and it carries FDA clearance for drinking water and food-grade liquids. Up to 1.1 specific gravity it also holds light agricultural and cleaning solutions. Keep flammables — fuels, solvents — out entirely, and never exceed 9.2 pounds per gallon. Verify compatibility before introducing any new chemical.

What kind of foundation does a 1350-gallon tank need?

Filled, it weighs roughly 12,589 pounds on a 71-inch base, so the pad must carry better than six tons. A four-inch gravel bed or concrete slab is adequate; the non-negotiable is that it be flat and stone-free. Because the tank stands 88 inches tall, an out-of-level pad shows up as a lean and accelerates wear on the low side.

Does this tank come with a warranty?

Three years from Norwesco against defects in materials and workmanship — cracks, pinholes, and factory fitting flaws. Excluded are overloading, a bad foundation, incompatible chemistry, and impact. Hold onto your receipt and installation photos in case you ever need to file.

Can I install this tank underground?

No. This is an above-ground design with walls that are not engineered for soil pressure; burying a tall vertical tank is an invitation to collapse and voids the warranty outright. Below-grade storage calls for a ribbed underground cistern built for the load.

Buying Considerations

Confirm three things before ordering. One, that the spot is genuinely level and drains — a tall tank punishes a tilt more than a short one. Two, that your liquid stays at or below 1.1 specific gravity. Three, the freight: this tank moves LTL by flatbed and needs a forklift on the receiving end. Tell us about your site access and we will line up the right carrier and unload method.