Fresh water cisterns. Concrete? Plastic? Fiberglass? Pro's/Cons?

[Mr Pops]

Need some advice from you acreage guys or farmer types please!

I'd like to get a new underground fresh water cistern for my acreage. Well water isn't great in my area, so I haul bulk water from town. What type is best? Plastic? Fiberglass? Concrete? I'm thinking of a tank between 1000-1500 gallons capacity.

When I moved in there was a well, but I wanted better water so I installed a 350 gal tank in my basement and haul water with a 270 gal tank in my 1 ton truck. I want a proper cistern so I can haul bigger loads, and less trips to the water station. The water is cheep, but the gas to get it adds up.

[Ron 586]

I grew up on cistern water. (1952-1965) It was concrete and we used rain water from one side of the house to keep it filled. We only used rain from months with a R in it. (not science but what pop said was law) It didn't kill us so your bought water should be fine.

[ERASER5]

Plastic or fiberglass will keep the ground water out, BUT you will want to keep it full. During heavy ground saturating rain, they could float up. I would keep the tank in the basement also pumping from one to the other with a float.

I have a 200 gal tank in my basement that I slow fill from the well then the house pump can run full power. I can drop water into either the well or the tank via piping and quick connects at the back deck. My truck tank is 350 gal. I usually have to haul water 5 months out of the year. A thought full setup is the key to ease of use. A caveman could fill/run mine. Apologies to all the cavemen out there.

[Mr Pops]

My neighbor has a concrete tank and hates it because it leaks. I'm hoping ground saturation won't be as much as an issue since my house is on the top of a hill and I'd be burying the tank in the side of the hill, within 15 feet of my weeping tile..
The concrete cistern people advertise a pro to a concrete tank is that you don't have to prep the hole as much as if you were installing a plastic/fiberglass tank.

[ERASER5]

Hole prep is a one time thing. Concrete leakage is FULL time. On a hill? No worries then about float.

A 1 ton truck should be able to handle a 500 gal tank. My 3/4 hardly knows my 350 gal tank (usually haul at 300 gal) is back there. My 1/2 ton knew it though!

[Mr Pops]

What do you guy know about hole prep for a plastic or fiberglass tank?

As far as the transport tank goes, I just bought a car hauler trailer with two 7000 lb axles, so I'd be putting a nice big tank on the trailer. Much bigger then my truck box can handle.