Pioneer Water Tanks have been developing water storage solutions for the harsh conditions of Australia for over 30 years. Australia’s extreme fire-prone areas and remote communities without water mains make for durable water needs. Pioneer Water Tanks are implemented for fire protection applications throughout the county for the advantages of the engineered system.
1. Exclusive Pioneer Water Tanks design: resistance to fire with over 30-years of research and development
2. Pioneer Water Tanks fire protection applications for ranches, farms, home environments
3. Pioneer Water Tanks fire protection applications for commercial and industrial buildings
The Advantages of Pioneer Water Tanks
Pioneer Water Tanks are extensively designed for durability and corrosion resistance. The Zincalume® Steel tank body and AQUALINER® Fresh liner design of Pioneer Water Tanks allow for short term resistance to flames directly on the tank body itself. After a fire immersion event, it should be noted that Zincalume® and COLORBOND® Steel have accelerated corrosion and structural degradation.
One key benefit of investing in a Pioneer Water Tank is that even after a significant fire, the water tank will still be usable for several months and during the event itself. The time after fire devastation is when water is desperately needed for animal watering, etc. Even if the Pioneer Water Tank is severely burnt, the water can be used directly after the fire. For Pioneer Water Tanks that have minor damages on one side of the tank, the panels may be able to be replaced and the liner can be repaired or replaced.
This Pioneer Water Tank remained ready to use after the recent bushfire disaster.
Plastic water tanks, known as poly tanks or polyethylene are known to melt with fire exposure and cannot last with fire immersion. During a fire event, the water may not be usable since the structure itself is easily destroyed. “Polyethylene (plastic) constructed tanks fared worst under all levels of exposure.. (1 Bushfire CRC).”
Rural Australian ranch Pioneer Water Tanks are still standing and ready to use after a bushfire disaster while the poly water tanks melted.The Australian Bushfire CRC research on intense fire devastation is cited in American fire-prone areas as an authoritative source. The Del Norte County California Fire Safe Plan states, “There are more and more options for inexpensively storing water. Cisterns—a catchment to collect rainwater—are becoming increasingly popular. Several websites are describing how to make one yourself, start with a search for “cistern.” Low-cost water tanks are also available. Pioneer tanks from Australia are now seen throughout the North Coast (www.pioneertanks.com.au) (2. Del Norte Fire Safe Plan).”
The 2006 Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre (Bushfire CRC) and CSIRO project revealed that Pioneer Water Tanks can withstand 30-minutes of full fire immersion without losing structural integrity and without water loss.
“This valuable research contribution to bushfire safety and preparedness provides community educators with detailed information that informs the fire safety planning of residents. This is particularly important post-Black Saturday as residents in fire-prone areas are eager to purchase defensive equipment including water tanks and are seeking from firefighters advice on the ‘best’ type. The research identifies the structural integrity issues of water tanks under a range of fire impact scenarios which in turn leads to recommendations regarding fuel clearance and the lessening of the vulnerability of tanks….” – Russell Taylor, AFSM, Group Manager Executive Support, NSW Rural Fire Service
Pioneer Water Tanks fire protection applications for ranches, farms, home environments
Pioneer Water Tanks are the premier water storage solution provider in Australia and around the world. Having usable water available for fire emergencies is a top priority in ranch, farming, and home environments. Fire protection and suppression systems are designed for the property and location requirements.
A typical fire protection system would include a Pioneer Water Tank with a fire outlet that creates a fire reserve supply of water. The average fire reserve for a ranch environment is 20,000-liters (5,283-gallons).
“This research indicates that steel construction tanks have the greatest chance of retaining their structural integrity and preventing water loss under bushfire conditions, while polyethylene tanks are at risk of total failure when adjacent combustible items are present, such as heavy forest fuels, fences, structures or even other polyethylene tanks.” – Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre (Bushfire CRC)
> Go to the Full Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre Report on Rain Water Tanks in Bushfires
There are many ways that a water supply is implemented for fire protection including for fire sprinkler systems, to supplement the existing water supply, for the fire response to be able to connect to for easy access.
“I need to make our rainwater storage work as efficiently as possible to meet our agricultural needs- and also so I don’t have the additional outlay for mains water,” said Gavin from Freeling South Australia (SA)
“We wanted to customize our tanks for fire – this was important for us as we needed to not only draw water for agricultural use but fires as well.”
Read the full article: https://pioneerwatertanks.com.au/gavins-story-from-freeling-south-australia/
The Australian network of dealers and installers are an integral part of their communities. After a bushfire event, authorized providers perform Pioneer Water Tank inspections. On Kangaroo Island, Pioneer Water Tanks SA (Southern Australia), performed tank inspections after the recent bushfire devastation in 2019.
“That satisfying feeling you get when your second inspection on Kangaroo Island after the devastating bushfires is a customer telling you the only reason his house is still standing is because of his Pioneer Water Tank.” – Ben Wise, with Pioneer Water Tanks SA http://www.pioneertanks.com/
Extreme bushfire conditions in Australia require plans in place. Six days before Black Saturday, February 7, 2009, a family home fire sprinkler system that was recently installed filmed the inspection. The devastating bushfires went across the state of Victoria on what is now called Black Saturday, and the family filmed the system being used to defend their home.
The West Coast of the United States, in particular California, is also experiencing heightened fire disasters. Pioneer Water Tanks are utilized in similar applications for homes, farms, vineyards, commercial properties, and more throughout the state. Pioneer Water Tanks America operates with a local network of authorized company providers and accredited installation experts.
> Learn more about becoming an authorized provider or installer with Pioneer Water Tanks America.
WaterMark H2O installed this fire protection water tank for a concrete facility in Clearlake, California.
Pioneer Water Tanks commercial and industrial fire protection applications
All new commercial buildings in Australia have a dedicated fire reserve tank that follows the Design standard AS2419, Australian Standard Code. The AS2304 code describes the required nozzle type and several other extra components with effective capacity relative to the commercial building size.
Pioneer Water Tanks are utilized for applications such as to fill fire trucks and air support, as the water source for hydrants, to supplement existing water supply, and much more.
In the state of Victoria, Australia a series of Pioneer Water Tanks provide a fast, steady source of water for fire trucks and air support.
Shepparton, Victoria Australian firefighters using Pioneer Water Tanks to fill fire trucks and air support
The engineering personnel and independent consulting engineers provide professional design and support services. The flexibility of configuration for Pioneer Water Tanks means nozzles, fittings and other accessories can be specified according to local requirements.
The isolation of Australia’s terrain makes for a lack of water distribution outside of major communities and cities. Fire protection and hydrant systems are essential in case of emergencies that may be supplied solely on water tanks. Divine Water Tanks, accredited provider of Pioneer Water Tanks in Queensland, provide water solutions for a variety of applications including necessary fire protection.
“Divine Water Tanks are proud to have been involved in the upgrade of fire services for 5 schools around SE and Central Queensland. The project included the installation of various Pioneer Fire Water Tanks which formed part of the fire service upgrades.” –http://www.divinewatertanks.com.au/
Fire conditions in California, Oregon, and Washington can be comparable to the bushfires in Australia. Pacific Northwest states have similar remote communities without water mains who rely on independent water supplies like having a large-capacity Pioneer Water Tank.
Fire protection Pioneer Water Tank for a Napa Valley vineyard with a 40,000-gallon capacity.
Four Pioneer Water Tanks in Napa California for fire protection.
Pioneer Water Tanks America is the distributor for the North American markets. We’re ready to supply water storage solutions for residential and commercial applications with our network of accredited providers. Standard Pioneer Water Tanks are available from 5,000 to 1,000,000-Gallons or can be custom-built up to one million gallons.
Our exclusive North American dealer and project management network facilitate sales, service, and, installations. We offer a full range of accessories and fittings so that your tank meets your needs and performs to the highest standards.
