The Norwesco 6500 Gallon Black Vertical Storage Tank is a high-volume above-ground vessel for bulk water and process-liquid storage, built in black UV-stable polyethylene and rated to a specific gravity of 1.5. At 119 inches in diameter and 150 inches tall, it holds 6,500 gallons on a square footprint of 119 x 119 inches, making it a workhorse for rural fire-water reserves, irrigation, agricultural supply, and industrial water reuse. This is the Norwesco vertical storage tank to spec when you need serious capacity from a single vessel rather than a bank of smaller tanks.
Will this tank work for your site?
At this size, weight and footprint govern the install, and both are decisive. Filled with plain water (specific gravity 1.0), the tank carries roughly 54,210 pounds of contents. At its full 1.5 specific gravity rating it can hold liquids up to 1.5 times the weight of water, pushing the maximum rated contents weight to about 81,315 pounds - more than 40 tons on a 119 x 119 inch base. For water service you are well inside that envelope. A tank this large demands a level, full-contact, properly engineered foundation; review our concrete pad sizing framework for above-ground polyethylene tanks before you pour. The black resin resists UV degradation and its opaque wall limits light penetration to discourage algae growth in stored water; note this is non-potable bulk water storage, as the listing carries no potable or food-contact certification. Confirm dimensions against the technical drawing on this page before finalizing your pad and plumbing.
Fittings and site access
Fitting, bulkhead, and outlet configuration is not specified in this listing data, so confirm the exact layout, sizes, and thread or gasket type against the technical drawing on this page or by calling 866-418-1777 before you plan plumbing - no fitting detail should be assumed from the listing alone. Plan the site as the oversized load this is: roughly 9.9 feet in diameter and 12.5 feet tall. Verify gate, driveway, and overhead clearance, line up unloading equipment rated for a tank this size, and extend your pad past the 119 x 119 inch base so nothing overhangs the foundation.
Sizing it into your system
Use the Tank Sizing Calculator and our Tank Sizing Guide to confirm 6,500 gallons matches your draw and refill cycle. For rural and remote fire protection, our guide on fire-water reservoir tank design covers NFPA 22 sizing discipline and cold-climate freeze protection. If this tank will anchor a grey-water, rainwater, or HVAC condensate reuse system, see our breakdown of industrial water reuse tank topology, and for rainwater capture our notes on first-flush diverter sizing.
The mistake to avoid
The most common error on a tank this large is underbuilding the foundation. Forty-plus tons of contents on a flat polyethylene base will find every soft spot, settle unevenly, and stress the tank wall. Size and reinforce the pad for the full 81,315-pound rated load, not just the weight of plain water, even if you only plan to store water today. The 1.5 specific gravity rating is the ceiling for liquid density - it does not certify this tank for any specific chemical, so verify chemical service separately if you intend to store anything heavier or more aggressive than water.
This Norwesco vertical storage tank ships LTL freight, quoted live to your ZIP. It stocks at Hanford, CA and St. Bonifacius, MN, and the quote pulls from whichever plant is nearest you - so West Coast and Upper Midwest destinations generally see lower LTL than a single-origin tank. Get a freight quote to your ZIP with our Freight Cost Estimator, or call 866-418-1777 to talk through foundation, fittings, and delivery scheduling with our team.
