The Norwesco 45 Gallon Portable Flat Bottom Utility Tank (SKU N-43838) is a compact polyethylene loaf-style tank built for on-the-move water hauling — spraying, fill stations, mobile wash, and general utility transport. It holds 45 gallons, measures 38" long by 18" wide by 22" high, and weighs 23 lbs empty. The flat bottom lets it ride stable on a truck bed, trailer, or skid without a stand, and a 5" lid on top serves as the fill and inspection port — that 5" opening also sets the largest hose, strainer, or fill-nozzle OD you can drop through it, so plan your fill hardware around it. This version ships with no fitting: you drill and bulkhead the outlet exactly where your plumbing needs it.
Will it work for your job?
Plan your load in gross terms. Empty, the tank is 23 lbs; add roughly 375 lbs of water at full and you are near 398 lbs gross on your bed or trailer — confirm your platform, axle rating, and tie-downs handle that before you roll. Norwesco rates this shell to a 1.5 specific gravity, so it will carry contents denser than water up to about 563 lbs of rated contents (near 586 lbs gross). That 1.5 SG rating is a real selling point, not fine print: it already handles heavier-than-water product like fertilizer solution up to that ceiling, and it is the number to size against. Use the Tank Sizing Calculator and the Tank Sizing Guide to match the 45 gallon capacity to your flow and refill cycle, and check the 18" x 38" footprint against your bed rails or frame rails first.
The mistake to avoid
This is a portable utility tank, not a certified transport tank. For farm and fleet use, moving your own water and product falls under specific DOT handling rules — the Norwesco loaf-style 49 CFR 173.5 guide walks through the agricultural exemption and classification so you don't mis-haul. The other common miss is skipping secure restraint: a partially full loaf tank lets water surge, so strap it down at the flat-bottom base and never rely on the tank's weight alone. If you run it outdoors in a cold climate, review the freeze-protection engineering notes before water sits in it below freezing. And for a stationary flat-bottom install, size your pad with the concrete pad sizing framework.
Freight and ordering
This tank ships LTL freight, quoted live to your ZIP — there is no flat freight number because rate depends on distance and destination. Norwesco molds this loaf tank at plants in Fairfield, TX; Griffin, GA; Hanford, CA; Shawnee, OK; Sheldon, IA; St. Bonifacius, MN; and Washington Court House, OH, and we ship from the location nearest you to hold freight down. Run your ZIP through the Freight Cost Estimator for a live LTL number, or call 866-418-1777 and we'll quote it and help you spec a bulkhead and gasket to match your pump for this 45 gallon portable water tank.
