How to clean a commercial water tank

Maintaining a clean water tank is important for any business that uses water as part of its process. If water tanks are not properly monitored and cleaned it can lead to a number of problems, such as:

• Unsanitary water including harbouring diseases
• Poor taste or odours in the water
• Clogged pipes or other lines leading to and from the tank

The good news is that cleaning and maintaining your tank doesn’t have to be a difficult or time-consuming task. By following these simple tips, you can keep your water tank clean.

Why should you clean a water tank?

One of the most important reasons to clean and maintain your water tank is the potential for bacteria growth. Not cleaning and maintaining your tank, allows bacteria, algae, and other harmful substances to build up inside the tank.

If you are using this water for your processes, and drinking water you and your customers will be consuming this bacteria which can cause significant harm.

Common waterborne bacteria:

Legionella

This bacteria is the cause of Legionnaires’ Disease, which is a severe form of pneumonia. People can contract this disease by breathing in or consuming water droplets that contain the legionella bacteria.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa

This bacteria can cause infections in people with weak immune systems, and can also lead to respiratory problems.

E-Coli

The E-coli bacteria is normally found in the intestine of humans and animals and can cause severe food poisoning. If this is detected in water it can cause serious food poisoning.

How to clean a Commercial water tank

1. Start by draining your tank of any existing water.

This gives you the space to properly clean the tank and get rid of any water that might have been affected by bacteria build-up.

You can still use this water as long as it’s not used for consumption (drinking). It’s perfectly fine to use it on plants or to flush your drains.

2. Cleaning inside the tank

Next, using a suitable detergent clean the inside of the tank, in order to make sure all bacteria are removed make sure you get into all of the cracks and crevices.

Once you have applied detergent leave it to sit for a few hours before rinsing the tank out with clean water.

3. Refilling the water tank

You should then refill your tank with fresh, clean water, leave this to sit and re-drain again, this is to ensure that all detergent has been removed and it will be safe to store water for drinking.

It is recommended that you get your water tank tested for bacteria at least once a year to ensure it remains clean and safe.

You should follow this water tank cleaning schedule to avoid

• Unsanitary water can harbour diseases
• Poor taste or odours in the water
• Clogged pipes or other lines leading to and from the tank
• Bacteria build-up can cause serious illnesses

How to maintain a water tank

In order to maintain a clean water tank, it’s important to keep on top of regular cleaning and checking. A simple way to do this is by following this yearly schedule:

Month 1: Clean the tank

Month 3: Check the condition of the tank

Month 6: Repeat month 1

Month 9: Check the condition of the tank

Month 12: Have your water tested for bacteria

Checking the condition of the water tank

It’s a good idea to check at least every 3 months for signs of wear and tear, leaks or damage.

This not only can save you costly repairs or damage to your property but you will be able to identify if there are any entrance points for outside bacteria.

Now that you know the importance of cleaning and maintaining your water tank, it’s time to take action! Follow our simple tips, and make sure to check your tank regularly for any damage or bacteria build-up.

Need help cleaning your water tank?

If you’re not comfortable cleaning and maintaining your own tank, don’t worry – we can help! Our team of experts are happy to partner with you to keep your water clean and safe.

We’ll carry out a risk assessment and inform you of how we’re going to take care of your tank, then will carry out the work quickly using all available safety precautions and top-of-the-line equipment. Our team of fully qualified staff aims to get the work done as quickly and to a high standard as possible.

So if you’d like to book professional water tank cleaning today, call now at 0800 6893 463. We also offer a range of other water services, including microbiological sampling and wastewater pump services, so visit our website today to explore the full selection of what we do.