Norwesco 16 Gallon Plastic Portable Flat Bottom Utility Tank in White

Where it goes

A spot sprayer on a UTV or a lawn tractor, a hand-wash or rinse supply on a service truck, a small chemical day tank beside a machine, a reservoir for a pressure washer or a misting system, and a water supply for a camp or a hunting lease are the usual homes. At 20 by 14 inches it fits a UTV bed with room to spare, and 17.5 inches tall keeps it below most bed rails. Full, it weighs about 133 lb with water, which is a two-person lift or a job for the forks; empty, one hand carries it. The flat bottom means it sits on any level surface, but strap it over the body, not through the lid, whenever it rides on a vehicle. Our guide to Norwesco portable utility tanks, the agricultural exemption and DOT classification for farm fleets covers how these tanks are treated on the road.

What goes in it

Water, spray mix and the common farm and shop liquids that polyethylene handles. The 1.5 rating means a liquid up to 1.5 times the weight of water, 12.52 lb per gallon, which covers most liquid fertilizers and many common chemicals; check anything other than water in our chemical compatibility guide before it goes in. White lets you see the level through the wall, which is useful on a sprayer, and lets light reach the contents, so do not leave water standing in it for weeks in the sun. Keep the contents under 120 F. For a bigger job, the tank sizing calculator and tank sizing guide will tell you when to step up a size.

Openings and fittings

1. Lid. A 5 inch threaded vented lid on top: fill from a hose or a jug, drop a small pump intake or a suction line in, and get a hand inside to rinse.
2. Outlet. None from the factory. Add a bulkhead fitting low on an end wall where the hose will run; a small tank like this usually takes a 1/2 or 3/4 inch fitting to match a sprayer pump. A bulkhead needs a flat area of wall at least as wide as its flange so the gasket seals; dry-fit it, then tighten by hand plus a quarter turn.
3. Drawing. Norwesco's drawing for this tank, linked under Technical Drawing on this page, shows the flat areas on the walls and the overall profile.

Sizes nearby

One size down: the 7 gallon flat bottom utility tank, sold in sets of four. One size up: the 20 gallon flat bottom utility tank, which is a taller, narrower shape; check the footprint on each page against the space you have.

Shipping and receiving

The tank ships by UPS from Norwesco's Sheldon, Iowa plant in a 20 by 14 by 18 inch carton with a shipping weight of 10 lb. The listed price is before shipping; the freight cost estimator gives the cost to your ZIP, and a written quote is available if you are ordering several. When it arrives, check the part number against 44853 on the label, look at the lid threads and the corners for carton damage, and fill it with water the first time before it carries anything else.

Questions before you order? Call 866-418-1777.