__NOTOC__
[[Image:Storage_tank_for_rooftop_harvesting_icon.png|right]]
[[Image:brickcement.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A brick-cement tank before the application of the cement.Photo: Arrakis and Connect International - [http://www.arrakis.nl/reports/Manual_Fabricating_Brick_Cement_Tanks_short_03_lr.pdf Fabricating Brick Cement Tanks.]]]
Brick cement tanks are a low cost option for storing water gained through water harvesting. In general it is cheaper than ferro-cement tanks and easier to build. In clay areas, be sure to build the tank robustly enough to resist cracking. Ground tanks should always be designed as either hemispherical (half ball shape) or cylindrical because those shapes equalize the pressure of water and soil whether the tanks are full or empty (square or rectangular tanks will always crack).<br>
Water extraction can be done using gravity, [[Handpumps]] or other pumps, or with a bucket.
==Construction, operations and maintenance==
[[Image:Brick cement tank.PNG|thumb|right|300px|Construction of a small brick cement tank, Mozambique.
Materials consist of (local produced) bricks (or blocks of hard rock), cement and steel wire. Approximately 1 bag of 50 kg cement per m3 tank volume. The bigger the volume of the tank, the lower the amount of materials (and thus costs) per m3 tank volume.Photo: Arrakis and Connect International - [[http://www.arrakis.nl/reports/Manual_Fabricating_Brick_Cement_Tanks_short_03_lr.pdf Fabricating Brick Cement Tanks.]]]
Brick cement tanks are constructed by placing an upright ring of bricks in a circle, with 3 rings of steel wire tightened around them. If the tank diameter is bigger than 2 meters more rings are needed. A second, third and fourth ring of bricks are added and suitably tightened. Make sure the wrapping of the barbed wire, g 12.5, is tightly around the outer side of the tank in a spiral spaced 5 cm at the lower half of the tank, where the greatest strength is needed, and 10 cm on the upper half. Cement is then applied on the inside and outside of the brick walls and to cover the bottom. A metal or PVC outlet pipe can be installed at the bottom. Once the cement has been applied, the tank needs to be covered with paper or plastic and kept wet for 7 days to cure the cement. Another curing option is to fill it up after the second day of installation.
