A 55 gallon upright utility tank on an 18 inch square footprint
The Norwesco 55 gallon portable flat bottom utility tank, part number 44855, is a white polyethylene tank 18 inches long, 18 inches wide and 44 inches tall, weighing 31 lb empty. It holds a drum's worth of liquid on a square footprint that stands flat in a corner, against a wall or in the footwell of a trailer, with a bulkhead outlet low in the wall instead of a bung on top. It has a single factory installed outlet fitting and a 5 inch threaded vented lid on top. The tank is rated for liquids up to 1.5 specific gravity, which covers water, most liquid fertilizers and many common chemicals; 55 gallons of water weighs 459 lb. Norwesco backs it with a 3 year limited full replacement warranty per its 2024 liquid storage catalog, and the service limit is 120 F. White lets you see the level through the wall in daylight.
Is this the right size? Get freight to your ZIP and add it to your cart above, or call 866-418-1777 with the space you are fitting it into.
Where it goes
This is the tank for a fresh water supply on a work van or a food trailer, a wash water tank beside a pressure washer, a day tank for a dosing pump, or a mix tank in a greenhouse, anywhere a drum would do the job but a drum's bung on top is the wrong place for the outlet. The 18 inch square footprint goes where a round drum will not, and 44 inches of height keeps 55 gallons on that footprint. Full of water the contents alone weigh close to 460 lb, so stand it on a surface that carries that on a small square and strap a tall tank to the wall or the frame where it rides on a vehicle: a tall narrow tank tips long before a wide one does. Our guide to portable utility tanks and the farm fleet DOT classification covers how a tank like this is treated on the road, and our note on pads for above ground polyethylene tanks covers what it stands on when it stays put. Where it feeds a small fire or wash down reserve, our note on freeze protection for polyethylene water tanks is worth reading before winter.
What goes in it
Water, liquid fertilizer, soap and rinse solutions and the common treatment chemicals that polyethylene handles are the normal loads. Before anything new goes in, check the liquid in our chemical compatibility guide. Liquids heavier than 1.5 times water need a heavy duty tank, not this one. For the volume itself, use the tank sizing calculator and tank sizing guide.
Openings and fittings
- Outlet. One factory installed bulkhead outlet low in the wall. Confirm the outlet size with us before you buy the valve for it; call with the part number and we will read it off Norwesco's drawing with you. Support the valve and the first length of hose so the fitting carries liquid, not hardware.
- Inlet. None is fitted. Fill through the lid.
- Lid. A 5 inch threaded vented lid on top: big enough to fill from a hose and to pour from a jug, and the vent lets the tank breathe as it empties so a pump does not pull the wall in.
- Drawing. Norwesco's drawing for this tank, linked under Technical Drawing on this page, shows the outlet height and the lid position.
Sizes nearby
A near size down in the same upright shape: the 52 gallon portable flat bottom utility tank. One size up: the 68 gallon portable flat bottom utility tank.
Shipping and receiving
At 31 lb and 18 by 18 by 44 inches the tank ships by UPS from Norwesco's Sheldon, Iowa plant, so it comes to the door like any parcel. The listed price is before freight; the freight cost estimator gives the cost to your ZIP. When it arrives, check the part number against 44855, look at the outlet fitting and the bottom edge for transit damage, and fill it with water the first time before it carries anything else.
Questions before you order? Call 866-418-1777, or request a written quote.
Freight and documents
Ships from: Sheldon, IA. LTL freight is quoted to your ZIP with the freight cost estimator or by phone at 866-418-1777. The listed price is before freight.
Technical drawing (PDF) for Norwesco 44855.
See this tank
Product video. Watch the Norwesco 55 Gallon Portable Flat Bottom Utility Tank in White video (60 seconds) with dimensions, fittings and shipping notes.
Ready to order?
Add it to your cart at the top of this page, get LTL freight to your ZIP, request a written quote, or call 866-418-1777. The listed price is before freight.
