Discovering an Old Cistern on Your Property
Found an old cistern on your property? First, keep people clear of the opening and assess whether it’s full of debris, still connected to the downspouts, and able to hold water. If those three conditions are good, restoring it may be practical. If it’s filled with debris, disconnected, or leaking, the work can become expensive, and filling it in and installing a new tank may be the better choice. Below, we’ll walk through how to check each condition and what restoration involves.
Cisterns were commonplace — especially in the north — when new homes were constructed pre-1920. Homes built in Columbus, Ohio by or before 1920 almost certainly had a cistern or a hand-dug well on-site. These were typically made from brick, hand-dug, and shaped into a sphere proportional in size to the roof from which they harvested rain. We ourselves have come across and been inside more than 50 old cisterns within Columbus city limits alone.
What Are Your Options If You Discover an Old Cistern?
Old cisterns can be relatively easy to restore if the following are true:
- It is not full of debris
- The downspouts are still connected to the existing underground drains
- The cistern is still watertight
Typically, none of those three things are true with old cisterns we come across — in which case restoration can be a very labor-intensive process. If none of the above apply, it will most likely be less expensive to fill in the existing cistern and replace it with a new tank.
How to Assess and Restore an Old Cistern
If the cistern does not have much debris in it, item #1 can be crossed off the list. Next, check whether downspouts are still running into it. Bring a garden hose to the nearest downspout, run water into the underground pipe for a few minutes, then go to the cistern and listen for incoming water. If you hear it, you’re good on #2. If not, try another downspout. If nothing again, new drainage will need to be run.
If water is draining in, the final check is whether the tank holds water. Fill it to a visible level, measure, and record. Wait a day and measure again. If the measurements match, you’re in luck on #3. If not, the tank walls need to be re-sealed or lined. Cleaning and re-sealing is a DIY-friendly project — we use MasterSeal 581 in gray and white for this purpose, available on our website for local pickup only.
How to stop a cistern water tank from leaking the RIGHT WAY!
Once the tank is sealed and the downspouts are draining to it, the last step is establishing a way to draw water out. Typically, our customers use electric pumps for this. Please see our line of electric pumps to help with your project.
Summary
Discovering an old cistern opens up a range of possibilities. Restoring it involves checking for debris, ensuring downspouts are connected, and confirming the tank is watertight. If restoration is viable, sealing the tank and setting up a water extraction method will bring your cistern back to life. If those conditions aren’t met, replacing the cistern may be the better option. Feel free to contact us for further assistance.
Note: We offer cistern cleaning and sealing services within a 120-mile radius of our office in Yellow Springs, Ohio. We often have a backlog on service projects — it may take 2–3 months to get to your project, so book early if you need this service. Thank you!
Products Mentioned in This Article
Need help with an old cistern?
Call or text Rain Brothers at 937-949-1100 to discuss restoration or replacement options. If you’re within 120 miles of Yellow Springs and need cistern cleaning or sealing, request a quote.
