Fire Cisterns

FIRE CISTERNS are reliable year round water sources for fire fighting, often required when there is no central piped water supply in the area.

Providing a fire cistern in compliance with the local fire department's design and storage volume requirements for fire protection may reduce insurance premiums and create a valuable emergency water resource available to the entire community.

The NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) has published guidelines regarding the location and volume of an appropriate fire cistern, based on the property or structure it is designed to protect. Please consult with your local Fire Chief about any such project before you start planning for an underground water storage tank.

The illustration above is one example of a common "draft" or suction type fire cistern design.

There are many different possible layouts; some will require drafting, while others may provide a gravity or pumped discharge.

Work with your Fire Department to ensure the system will work as planned when needed. You will find more Fire Service Cistern illustrations in the "Drawings" section of our web site.