Norwesco 20 Gallon Plastic Portable Flat Bottom Utility Tank in White

Where it goes

A hand-wash or rinse supply on a service truck, a day tank for a dosing pump beside a machine, a gravity water supply for a small animal pen, a reservoir for a pressure washer or a misting system, and a water supply on a camp trailer are the usual homes. The upright shape is the reason to pick it: it uses height instead of floor space. That same shape makes it top-heavy when full, 167 lb of water on a 15 by 11 inch base, so on a vehicle it needs a strap around the body near the top and a bracket or a corner to lean into, and on a floor it wants a wall behind it. 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. As a fixed tank, the concrete pad sizing guide covers more than this tank will ever need, but the principle holds: a flat, continuous surface under the whole bottom.

What goes in it

Water 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 read the level through the wall, which is the point on a day tank, 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 dosing line in, and get a hand inside to rinse.
2. Outlet. None from the factory. Add a bulkhead fitting low on a side wall where the hose will run; a 1/2 or 3/4 inch fitting matches most small pumps and gravity lines. 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, in a low, wide shape: the 16 gallon flat bottom utility tank. One size up: the 26 gallon flat bottom utility tank. Check the footprint on each page against the space you have; the shapes differ more than the capacities do.

Shipping and receiving

The tank ships by UPS from Norwesco's Sheldon, Iowa plant in a 15 by 11 by 34 inch carton with a shipping weight of 16 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 44854 on the label, look at the lid threads and the base for carton damage, and fill it with water the first time before it carries anything else.

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