In this article, I will share with you the design recommendations for the underground reservoir. When designing an underground water reservoir there are certain recommendations one should follow.
These recommendations are essential for the efficient functioning of the reservoir and the health concerns of the consumers.
Water that is taken from the source is supposed to be stored before it’s distributed to the consumers, but not all distribution systems use reservoirs.
A pumping distribution system is one of the water distribution systems that doesn’t need a reservoir.
If you want to know more about water distribution systems and how they work, then don’t forget to read the article below.
You might like this: Water Distribution System: Types, Requirements And Methods
With that much said, let me share with you these recommendations.
Underground reservoir design recommendations
1. Ground level of the reservoir.
The reservoir should be partially buried, and it should be placed 100 yards from the floodplain.
There is a reason the underground should be partially buried and not completely buried.
When the underground reservoir is completely buried and it’s at the same level as the ground, then this will lead to the contamination of the water.
The moment it rains, let us assume that the ground is waterlogged, and then the groundwater will enter the reservoir.
Also, apart from contaminating the water in the reservoir, the ventilators will be blocked by dirt and this will prevent air circulation in the reservoir, thus decreasing the quality of water.
So, the underground needs to be partially buried to prevent all these problems from happening.
2. The area surrounding the ground level.
We should put the area surrounding the underground reservoir at a certain elevation that will prevent the water from standing within 50 feet of the structure at a minimum.
This is another important recommendation for the underground reservoir.
If you understood the first point, then this will click immediately.
The ground level should be graded in a manner that will prevent rainwater or any water from any source from standing around the reservoir.
There are several ways that this can be achieved. You can either choose to raise the ground level around the reservoir or you can put the ground around the reservoir at a certain inclination.
This inclination will let water flow away from the underground reservoir, thus preventing the water from standing around the structure.
The other way that this grading can be achieved is by raising the ground level around the reservoir at 50 feet radius.
The main aim of grading the ground in this manner is to ensure that the water on the ground doesn’t enter into the underground reservoir.
3. It should be 50 feet away from any possible pollution agent.
The reservoir will be underground, but this doesn’t mean that it is free from any pollution.
Like any other water storage facility, any pollution agent can contaminate it.
Since the underground reservoir is buried underground, there is a possibility for it to be placed near pipe sewers, drains and any possible pollution agent. This needs to prevent from happening.
And that is why the design recommendations need the underground reservoir to be at least 50 feet from any possible pollution agent, no matter how well those agents are secured.
This is to prevent the water from being contaminated.
If by any chance, there will be leakages from the pipe sewers, the reservoir will be on the safe side, but even the leakages shouldn’t be allowed.
Also, if sewer pipes are passing near the underground reservoir, they should be tested at a pressure of 50 psi to ensure that they don’t leak.
All these measures are to ensure the underground reservoir will be safe from any possible contamination.
4. The top of the reservoir.
The top of the underground reservoir should not be less than 2 feet unless there is a special design consideration that will prevent the groundwater from contaminating the water in the reservoir.
If the underground reservoir top will be less than 2 feet, then there will be an issue of preventing the groundwater from infiltrating the tank.
5. Above the groundwater table.
If the underground reservoir is below the normal ground surface, this is a measure that should be put into consideration.
When the underground reservoir is below the ground surface, since there is no way to keep it partially buried, the designer should prevent any problems that are associated with it being buried entirely.
This is to prevent contamination too as most of the design recommendations.
If this option of making the underground reservoir above the table water is impossible, then special designs should come in handy.
The design should ensure all parameters of drains to daylight and exterior tank sealants are provided.
All these measures are very essential in preventing the groundwater from infiltrating the underground reservoir and preventing it from flotation forces when the tank is empty.
Since when the tank is empty, it will experience external forces which may crack it or at worst break it.
So, these design recommendations for the underground reservoir are very important for the efficiency of the facility.
Thank you so much for reading the article, if you have questions leave your comment. See you in my next article.
Related article to check.
