Water security continues to emerge as a critical concern for both municipalities and industries, as countries across Southern Africa face persistent water outages and drought-related pressures. While infrastructure upgrades remain essential, the ability to store potable water safely for use during periods of interruption is becoming increasingly important.

In response, local tank manufacturer Rainbow Reservoirs has introduced bolted steel panel tanks constructed from corrosion-resistant Aluzinc steel and equipped with specialised internal linings suitable for potable water storage. These tanks are being adopted across multiple sectors, offering a decentralised and scalable solution for emergency and everyday water supply requirements.

The company says the use of Aluzinc steel, a material known for its enhanced resistance to rust and corrosion, ensures durability and long service life, especially in harsh environments where galvanised tanks can deteriorate more quickly.

Rainbow Reservoirs explains the expected lifespan of Aluzinc is 40 years. The manufacturer adds that the tanks were engineered to store drinking water safely.

“UV-resistant, multi-layered internal tank liners are human-potability-certified for safe drinking water. These robust tank liners ensure that the stored water never comes into direct contact with the steel walls,” it says.

This makes the system suitable not only for industrial or process water, but also for applications where drinking water storage is essential – such as residential developments, schools, hospitals and tourism facilities located in areas with unreliable supply.

The tanks are prefabricated and flat-packed for transport, making them particularly suitable for deployment in remote or hard-to-reach locations. On-site assembly is relatively quick compared to traditional concrete or welded steel reservoirs, allowing for rapid commissioning in urgent situations or in support of temporary infrastructure rollouts.

From a capacity standpoint, the tanks range from a few hundred litres to over four-million litres, depending on user needs and available space. Rainbow Reservoirs explains that its modular design allows for flexibility in height and diameter, which is especially useful where footprint constraints or specific volume requirements apply.

Further, its design approach also aligns with broader trends in decentralised infrastructure, where point-of-use storage and treatment systems are increasingly being integrated into water planning frameworks. By enabling property owners, facility managers and local authorities to store water safely on-site, these tank systems reduce dependency on centralised networks that may be vulnerable to load reduction, burst pipes, water quality failures, or energy-related disruptions at treatment plants.

The adoption of such tanks is growing. In mining, they support process continuity in regions where municipal supply is limited or interrupted. In agriculture, the tanks serve as reservoirs for irrigation systems, while in the public sector they offer a buffer for clinics

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