GRP Tanks

GRP (Glass Reinforced Polypropylene) panel tanks are square in shape, usually manufactured  in 1m x 1m square sectional panels. When these panels are bolted together with gaskets in between, they can form a large area inside a room, suitable for storing liquids from 2000 litres up to 1 mega litres (1,000,000 litres).

These square tanks are usually selected on projects which are space critical locations such as those found in high rise buildings, hospitals, processing plants and shopping centres. GRP tanks can generally be supplied and installed within an 8 week turnaround and have even more versatility in design options then their round tank counterparts. These tanks can be constructed in a square, rectangle, L shape or even a donut to wrap around a buildings column, the shape isn’t the only variable either, they can be manufactured to include an external or internal structure, bladder, spray on waterproofing or gasket, roof or no roof, galvanised, stainless steel, epoxy coated or more to name a few.

Things to watch out for:

Often square tanks go for years without being inspected, cleaned or serviced because there locked away in a room somewhere on the roof or in the basement, when combining this fact with the corrosion which forms in stagnant water and the fact  that these tanks are often at the top of high-rise buildings and you have a recipe for a very expensive disaster. When a structural tie rod in these tanks corrode and gives way the entire wall of the tank falls under the pressure of the water, flooding everything in its path including penthouses, electrical equipment, gyp-rock, carpet and the rest. This is an possibility which is not worth risking, so if you have a square tank and it hasn’t been inspected for a year make sure you get a tank specialist in who knows allot about corrosion especially MIC (Micro-biologically Influenced Corrosion), they should also know how to isolate and drain the system and replace structural rods in the event of emergencies.

GRP tanks, effectively being fibre glass, has superior corrosion resistance properties to hot dipped galvanised and even stainless steel tanks which gives it a distinct advantage over them, combining this with the fact it costs roughly the same as a hot dipped galvanised tank and almost half that of stainless steel and you have a very viable water storage option in tight areas.

Most square tanks come with roofs, manholes, internal and external ladders as well as level indicators and fittings, all of which are as variable as your specifications require with an average design life of 20-40 years.