Cistern Liners

Cistern liners were hung in three existing cistern vaults under this home in the Virgin Islands. Here, a 13,790-gallon liner is installed in cistern number two. The rainfall is collected from the roof via downspouts that filter the water.
Photo: Rainwater Collection Solutions, Inc.

Rainwater collection systems are becoming more prevalent additions to homes. A recent residential remodel included incorporating a rainwater harvesting system to provide all potable water and irrigation needs for a home in St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Custom cistern liners were built to hang from the ceiling of each of three existing cisterns, providing a total water storage capacity of 31,600 gallons for the home. Liners were chosen because they are sealed, provide water quality control, water security in this earthquake prone area and eliminate the common problem of humidity caused by open cisterns.

The liners are specifically designed to fit existing cisterns. The liners were rolled into a tight cylinder and worked through the cistern access hole in the home's floor, then unrolled. The liners were hung and attached to the appropriate fittings (fill, drain, pump, and overflow). The fill ports and overflow ports were custom installed. The three cistern liners are connected to operate as one large system. A “man-way” allows access to the interior as necessary for pump maintenance and cleaning.