“In this example a DIY brick cistern is used to store filtered water.
This one holds about 9450 Litres of water (about 2500 gallons plus or minus 20 gallons). The blocks are filled with concrete and re-enforced with 1/2 inch rebar. They sit on a 5 inch concrete pad re-enforced with 1/2 inch rebar. The blocks are concrete not pumice. The wall is built using mortar mix and standard concrete construction procedures.
It is important to note that concrete blocks are very porous and also that the mortar joints must be water tight. When the walls were finished, a potable water approved water based rubber sealer was applied on the inside. The sealer failed (see the bottom photo). In this part of the country it is too cool and humid for this sealer to work on concrete that is underground…”
