Not all tanks are created equal. ZCL Composites, and it’s American subsidiary Xerxes Corporate, have been fabricating underground fiberglass petroleum tanks for 30 years and they now offer a full range of single wall underground fiberglass tanks for non-petroleum applications such as potable water tanks, sewage holding tanks, tanks for green or LEED applications, rainwater collection tanks or even standby firefighting retention tanks.

ZCL uses only high-quality resin and glass in the manufacture of its fibreglass tanks. For added structural strength, ZCL tanks are designed with integral ribs. Because the integral ribs and tank are made of the same materials and are manufactured simultaneously, the ZCL tank is a very robust tank. When proerly installed, it is designed to accommodate heavy traffic loads and high water-table conditions. Fibreglass tanks available from other fabricators may also utilize ribs, but they may not be designed for traffic environments and do not have the same robust design features of a ZCL tank. While concrete tanks are widely viewed as structurally strong, many are not designed for the heavy loading conditions that vehicle traffic and groundwater can present.

Since water by nature can create a corrosive environment, rust can be a major weakness in some underground storage systems. The materials used to construct ZCL fibreglass tanks are inherently rust-proof and corrosion-resistant. Concrete tanks, whether precast or poured-in-place, are susceptible to rust if the steel reinforcement is exposed through cracks in the concrete. Exposure to hydrogen sulfide gases, present in wastewater tanks, can also cause corrosion damage to a concrete tank and steel reinforcement, thereby limiting the tank’s useful life. Since underground tanks can be exposed to highly corrosive conditions, selecting a ZCL tank gives system owners and designers the assurance that rust or corrosion will not cause a leak or structural failure.

Aside from being rust-proof and corrosion-resistant, a ZCL tank is also designed to be watertight. Easily equipped for onsite pressure testing before and after installation, ZCL wastewater tanks give owners the confidence that  the tank is watertight from the day it is installed. This feature is of growing importance with today’s stringent regulations, many requiring watertight systems. For more than 28 years ZCL has been manufacturing thousands of underground tanks for use in the petroleum industry, where a zero leak rate is the accepted industry standard. These fuel tanks must be leak free, not only upon installation, but for decades, verified by periodic, precision testing practices that are routine for gasoline tanks.

Leaking concrete tanks are one of the reasons that ZCL tanks have become such a popular choice for wastewater applications. Concrete, by its nature, is vulnerable to cracking. In most cases, precast concrete tanks rely on sealants or adhesives to seal the seams designed into the tank. When the ground around the tank shifts or settles, or when the tank is improperly installed, these seams are susceptible to leaking, causing either groundwater
contamination or groundwater infiltrating into the tank, requiring the system to processes groundwater along with septage. A structurally strong, watertight fibreglass tank eliminates both of these problems.

Quality manufacturing is key to producing a strong, watertight tank. When it comes to the environment, ZCL knows that too much is at stake to manufacture anything less than a superior underground storage tank. ZCL  maintains high standards of quality in the manufacture of each tank. The quality control steps are applied in a tightly controlled manufacturing environment. On the other hand, the same level of quality control may not be
maintained in situations where tanks are assembled, in part or in whole, in the field and where weather conditions may not allow careful quality control procedures.

8 reasons to go with a ZCL tank in your application:

• Cost effective in sizes at or larger than 5,000 Imperial gallons.
• Standard ZCL tanks are designed for 7′ burial depth, water table to grade AND an H-20 load rating.
• Tanks are built to a 5:1 safety factor and can be pressure tested after the fittings and accessories are installed.
• Tanks are NSF 61 listed for use with potable water. Other manufacturers claim NSF listing, but in reality on the resins that they use are NSF listed. This resin listing only works when the curing process is to the resin manufacturer’s specification.
• Rib is truly integrated into the tank wall and is the first component of the tank built. This means that the integral structure created by the rib exceeds those from ribs put on a completed tank.
• ZCL can guarantee that, when empty and installed with the ZCL anchoring system, the tank will not float. What other Canadian domestic manufacturer can claim this or back it up with engineering?
• ZCL tanks are built with a proprietary mold configuration that is uniqute and in sharp contrast to the male mold configurations of other manufacturers. This female mold design allows for much tighter control of the fabrication process and yields a superior, high quality tank that will not leak.
• ZCL is a publicly traded company that brings with it a peace of mind in knowing that the tank is backed by 30 years of experience, hundreds of thousands of successful installation and an international presence that isn’t going anywhere.

When getting competitive quotations for tanks, you should ask the following questions:

• How long has this fabricator been fabricating a tank of this size?
• What is the cure process for fabricating a tank for potable water?
• Is the resin used NSF listed?
• What is the testing procedure for the competitive tank?
• Are engineering calculations available to back up strength claims at no charge?
• Does the anchoring system guarantee that the tank will not float?
• If the anchoring system does guarantee the tank does not float, will it survive the incredible hydraulic pressures of being fully submerged and empty?
• Can the tank withstand traffic loading?
• Can the tank even be buried in a water table? If not, even in the driest conditions rains and wet seasons can easily fill a covered excavation with water. A large hole, filled with pea gravel is the perfect environment to create a swimming pool around the tank. Will it last?
• Can the tank, in the future, be removed, recertified and relocated?
• Can the tank be pressure tested in the field?
• What is the delivery schedule of the competitive fabricator?