The Norwesco 200 Gallon Black Loaf Tank is a low-profile portable utility tank built for hauling and storing water on a truck bed, trailer, or skid where overhead clearance is tight. It stands just 29 inches tall on a 36 by 48 inch footprint, which is the whole point of the loaf shape: it keeps the load close to the deck instead of riding high, so it stays stable when full. It holds 200 gallons, molded in black polyethylene, and carries a specific gravity rating of 1.5, so it handles fluids heavier than water without exceeding its design limit.
Will it work for your job?
Start with clearance: at 29 inches tall, this tank slides under low canopies, into enclosed trailers, and onto pickup beds where a taller vertical tank will not fit, then it spreads its load across a 36 by 48 inch footprint. Filled with plain water it carries about 1,668 pounds, so size your trailer, hitch, and tie-downs around a fully loaded weight in that range plus the tank itself. The 1.5 specific gravity rating means the wall is built to carry up to 2,502 pounds of contents at maximum density - roughly 12.5 pounds per gallon - so it covers brines, water-based ag mixes, and other utility fluids that weigh more than straight water. This is a 1.5-rated water and utility tank, not a chemical-rated tank; if your fluid exceeds 1.5 specific gravity, this is not the right tank, so call us at 866-418-1777 first. Not sure whether 200 gallons matches your run? Work the numbers with our Tank Sizing Calculator or read the Tank Sizing Guide before you commit.
Fittings and access
The only molded provision on this tank is the 8 inch threaded lid collar (the technical drawing on this page lists it as the thread for an 8 inch lid). That lid is your fill point, your access point, and the gasketed seal interface - there is no molded bottom outlet or sidewall bulkhead port. If you need an outlet, run it through the lid assembly rather than drilling the poly wall yourself, since a field-cut sidewall or bottom penetration compromises the rated wall integrity. Confirm the lid and any outlet options before ordering so the tank arrives configured the way your application needs.
The mistake to avoid
The loaf profile makes this tank easy to mount, but the contents always want to slosh fore-and-aft when you brake or accelerate. Secure it across the long axis and never run it partially full on the highway without proper strapping discipline. If you are using it on a farm vehicle, the rules around portable utility tanks for agricultural fleet use are spelled out in our guide on Norwesco loaf-style portable utility tanks and the 49 CFR 1735 agricultural exemption. The other common miss is the foundation when the tank lives stationary: a full-water load of 1,668 pounds (2,502 pounds at maximum rated density) sits on just a 36 by 48 inch pad, so set it on a flat, fully supported surface. See Concrete Pad Sizing for Above-Ground Polyethylene Tanks if it will sit in one spot.
Freight
This 200 gallon loaf tank ships LTL freight, quoted live to your ZIP. Norwesco molds it at plants in Albertville, AL, Hanford, CA, and Sheldon, IA, and we ship from the location nearest you to keep transit and cost down. Get an exact number with our Freight Cost Estimator, or call us at 866-418-1777 and we will quote it for you. If you are sizing a larger reserve for rural water or fire-protection storage, our guide on fire-water reservoir tank design for rural and remote sites walks through the design discipline behind it.
