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Keep It Safe! Cleaning the Tank of Your Water Tank Trailer
AAA Trailers • June 18, 2020
Two billion people around the world drink from contaminated sources of water. While that may not always be avoidable, a clean water tank trailer can help.
If you can transport clean water, you can help people get the water that they need. But to do that, you need to use a clean water tank trailer.
Keep reading to learn how to clean your water transport tanks and why it's so important.
Determine the Type of Water
Before you start to clean your water tank trailer, you should consider the type of water you use for it. If a tank carries potable water, which you can drink, the tank will need to be cleaner than other types of water.
When you transport potable water to a community, you need to make sure the water stays safe to drink. And while you should clean your water tank trailer for other types of water, you may not need to go into as much detail with the cleaning.
A potable water trailer needs to be as clean as possible to maintain the quality of the water. If something goes wrong during transportation, the entire supply will be unsafe.
So make sure you know what type of water you need to transport and how much you may need to clean the water tank trailer.
Consider What Tank to Use
If you have access to more than one water tank trailer, you should decide which one to use. You may have different tanks for different types of water as well as different liquids.
Selecting a water tank trailer that has held milk or other liquids may not be the best choice. Before you use it as a potable water tank, you will need to give it a more thorough cleaning.
On the other hand, a tank that you have only used for potable water will still require cleaning. But you won't have to be as detailed as if you choose a tank that has held other materials.
You should also consider how big the tank is and if it can hold the amount of water you need to transport. Then, you can start the cleaning process.
Empty the Water Tank Trailer
Once you choose which tank you will use to transport potable water, you need to empty it completely. Look for anything that could collect in small corners or other areas.
An empty water tank trailer means you can clean all the sides more easily. You also won't have to worry about items or liquids getting into the cleaning solution that you use.
If there are any tools, like hoses, you should also take those out of the trailer. You can put them back later after you clean them as well.
When you do empty the potable water trailer, you should consider where you put the hose. You'll need to clean that, so be sure to keep it nearby.
Use Detergent and Hot Water
Mix household laundry detergent with hot water and use the mixture to clean the interior of the water tank trailer. You can use a high-pressure jet to clean the bigger areas, and a stiff brush works well for nooks and crannies.
If you have a long pole, you can use that with the brush so that you can clean the tank
from the outside. However, you may need to get into the tank to clean some of the corners.
Your mix of detergent and hot water can help you get any grime off the sides. But you should also use the detergent and water to clean the hoses.
Most drinking water tankers have hoses and pumps, and they can collect residue from prior loads. You should run your detergent and water through the hoses and pipes to clean them.
Disinfect the Tank
Once you finish cleaning the inside of the tank and the hoses, you need to disinfect the tank. It may seem like overkill, but the extra step will ensure that you can have the cleanest environment possible for the potable water.
If you haven't already, figure out the dimensions of the water tank trailer. Different shapes of tanks will require different steps to measure the volume. However, you will use the volume to determine how much chlorine to use.
After you fill the tank with disinfectant, run that mix through the pipes for an hour or so. This will help get the disinfectant out of the tank, and it will help clean the pipes as well.
If you don't have a pump, you can clean the hoses by closing one end and opening the other end to the tank. You should leave that for about a day to disinfect the inside of the hose.
Rinse With Water
Finally, you should rinse the inside of your water transport tanks
with clean water. If possible, you should use potable water so that you don't risk contaminating the tank.
That way, you won't have to risk cleaning the inside all over. Instead, you can make sure the tank is clean and ready for a load of potable water.
You should empty the disinfectant and water and make sure there are no signs of chlorine. Then, you will need to rinse out the inside with plain water.
Fill the tank with drinking water, and let it sit for half an hour. After that, empty the water before you fill it with the potable water load.
Importance of a Clean Water Tank Trailer
If you don't transport potable water in a clean tank, sediment and other liquids can seal into the water supply. The impurities may or may not be harmful, but you can never know which is the case.
By keeping your water tank trailer clean, you can ensure that you can deliver clean water to various communities.
Road to Health
A water tank trailer is an excellent way to transport large volumes of water long distances. But if it's not as clean as possible, the water may become infected and people who drink it could get sick or encounter other problems.
Do you need a new water tank trailer? Contact us
for help selecting the right one for you.
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