The Norwesco 1050 gallon loaf utility tank (SKU N-42306) is a low-slung polyethylene tank built for mobile and stationary utility water service where a tall vertical tank would sit too high and too unstable. At 49 inches tall on a 60 x 96 inch footprint, it rides low and wide, which keeps the center of gravity down when the tank is hauled on a skid, trailer, or flatbed. This is the loaf geometry farm fleets and utility crews reach for when they need to move 1,050 gallons of water without a top-heavy load. It is molded from polyethylene in green.
Will this loaf tank work for my job?
Sizing starts as a weight question. Filled to its full 1,050 gallon capacity with water, this tank carries roughly 8,757 pounds of water alone, so the trailer, skid, or pad underneath it has to be rated for that load plus the empty tank and any hardware. Dry tank weight is listed on the spec and technical drawing, so size your structure for the 8,757 lb water load on top of it rather than guessing. The 60 x 96 inch footprint spreads the load across a long, wide base - that is the entire purpose of the loaf shape - but the support still needs continuous, level bearing under the full footprint, not point loads at the corners. If you are matching tank size to a job, run the numbers through our Tank Sizing Calculator and review the Tank Sizing Guide before you commit to a footprint.
Common mistakes to avoid
The biggest mistake with a portable loaf tank is treating it like a stationary vertical tank. Water shifts. A partially filled loaf tank moving down the road develops surge that can overload the support frame and the towing setup, so plan your fill levels around how you actually transport it - and orient the tank with its 96-inch long axis running fore-and-aft on the trailer so surge stays in the long dimension rather than rocking it side to side. If this tank is going on a farm fleet vehicle, the DOT and agricultural classification rules matter; our guide on Norwesco loaf-style portable utility tanks and the agricultural exemption and DOT classification for farm fleet use walks through where farm-fleet use is and is not exempt. The second mistake is the foundation: if this utility tank lives in one spot, read concrete pad sizing for above-ground polyethylene tanks so the pad matches the loaded footprint.
Fittings, drawing, and where it earns its keep
Fitting sizes and outlet locations for this loaf tank are confirmed on the molded technical drawing on this page - call 866-418-1777 to confirm the configuration of your unit before you order, since outlet placement drives how you plumb a portable utility tank. Beyond general water hauling, this size fits rural and remote fire-water reservoir duty and industrial water reuse trains. For private fire protection storage, our fire-water reservoir tank design guide covers NFPA 22 sizing discipline and cold-climate freeze protection. For grey-water, rainwater, and condensate aggregation, the industrial water reuse tank topology guide shows where a bulk polyethylene utility tank fits in a quality-banded storage train.
This tank ships LTL freight, quoted live to your ZIP. Norwesco molds it at four plants - Hanford, CA; Shawnee, OK; St. Bonifacius, MN; and Tooele, UT - and the Freight Cost Estimator prices from the plant nearest your delivery ZIP, which is the real lever on freight for an 8,757 lb loaded LTL shipment. Get your exact number from the estimator or call 866-418-1777 and we will quote it to your address. Listed at the price shown above, before freight.
