94 



THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



CONCRETE CISTERNS ON TOP OF GROUND. 



An abundance of soft water is a great aid in solving 

 the labor problem of housekeeping. With the general use 

 of concrete there has developed a new style of cistern 

 which further lightens the work of the housewife. This 

 new concrete cistern is built on top of the ground and, by 

 direct pressure, forces the water through pipes into the 

 house and does away with the work and exposure of pump- 

 ing and carrying water.. The piping of the water allows 

 the cistern to be located to the best advantage. Sinc-e the 

 roof water from out buildings is free from soot and other 

 impurities, many persons prefer to build the cistern at 

 the barn, granary, or corn crib. The cistern shown in the 

 illustration is placed on a three-foot terrace in the rear of 

 the house. The carrying of water is thus reduced to the 

 mere -matter of turning a faucet in the kitchen. 



To illustrate the general method o'f construction, con- 

 sider a cistern 8x8 feet square in the clear and 8 feet high 



A Farm Cistern Built on a Three-Foot Terrace. 



with 6-inch side walls and floor and 4-inch roof. Such a 

 cistern holds 121 barrels of water. 



The first step in building a cistern is to have all ma- 

 terials on hand before beginning the work. Make the 

 forms or molds of 1-inch siding on 2x4-inch studding 

 spaced 2 feet. Remember that the siding always goes 

 next to the concrete. Since the floor is 6 inches and the 

 roof 4 inches thick, have the studs for the outside form not 

 less than 8 feet 10 inches in length. The uprights for the 

 inside form must be exactly 8 feet long. As the pressure 

 of the concrete will tend to hold the siding in place, tack 

 it lightly to the studding. Board up the outside form 

 only to height of 3 feet, so as to make easier the handling 

 of the concrete and the placing of the reinforcing rods. 

 Build each side separately in order that the entire form 

 may be quickly erected. See that the forms are joined in 

 such a way as to make their removal an easy matter when 

 .surrounded by the solid concrete. 



From the site of the cistern strip off the sod and other 

 foreign matter. Do not disturb the solid ground. Three 

 to 4 feet below ground level (depending upon the depth 

 of freezing), lay a 2-inch house-supply pipe and have the 

 cistern end fitted with a pipe connection, set at the con- 

 crete floor level and 1 foot from the cistern wall. Carefully 

 imbed the pipe in concrete to the first joint beyond the 

 cistern wall. Thoroughly tamp back the earth removed, 

 so that there can be no settlement underneath the cistern 

 floor. Lay out the cistern 9x9 feet, out to out. Within 

 these lines dig the foundation trenches 1 foot wide and 3 

 feet deep. 



With the forms ready and the foundation trenches 

 dug, begin mixing the concrete. Proportion the concrete 

 1 part Portland cement to 2 parts sand to 4 parts crushed 

 crushed rock. Four parts of clean bank-run gravel may be 

 used instead of the sand and stone. In measuring the ma- 



terials do not guess or count shovelfuls. Measure exact 

 by means of a bottomless box, and count one bag of ce- 

 ment equal to 1 cubic foot. Mix the concrete, mushy wet 

 and ("ill the trenches to a level with the under side of the 

 cistern floor. 



To take care of the water pressure, reinforcing rods 

 must be run in both directions through the concrete wall. 

 For this purpose, use fjj-inch rods 10 feet long. While the 

 concrete in the foundation walls is yet soft, set the vertical 

 rods in it (spaced 8 inches) to the depth of 1 foot. Care- 

 fully place these rods so as to bring them within 1 inch of 

 the outside of the cistern walls. 



Next in order is the concrete floor. Make it inches 

 thick and tamp the concrete well. See that it overlaps 

 the inside of the foundation wall and that the top of the 

 pipe connection is at the floor level. Finish the surface 

 with a steel trowel. 



After the floor has hardened for 3 or 4 hours, erect 

 the inside form. To aid in taking down these 

 forms, place removable wedges between the ends 

 of the studs and the floor. Before setting up 

 the outside form, fasten the first four horizontal 

 rods to the vertical reinforcing by means of small 

 wire. These rods are spaced 8 inches apart. 

 The ends must be bent and spliced around the 

 corners of the cistern. Set the outside form and 

 begin building the concrete side walls. Use the 

 concrete mushy wet and work it down next to 

 the wall form with a wooden paddle. Place it in 8- 

 inch layers carried around the entire cistern. See 

 that exactly 1 inch of concrete is between the steel 

 rein forcing and the outside form. As the work pro- 

 gresses, add the necessary boards of the outside 

 form and the lengthwise reinforcing rods. Do not 

 stop placing concrete until the walls are finished. 

 \\ bile the 4-inch concrete roof is hardening, 

 a temporary wooden platform is needed to sup- 

 port it. Build this platform of 1-inch boards 

 nailed lightly to 2x4-inch joists. Let these joints 

 rest on 2x4-inch stringers nailed to the studding 

 of the inside form at a distance of 4 inches be- 

 low their tops, so that when the stringers are 

 loosened the platform will come down. To keep 

 the mushy concrete from wasting, place heavy 

 paper or thin cloth at the edges of the platform. 

 For providing a manhole opening, take 1-inch 

 boards 5 inches wide and build a bottomless 

 frame 4 inches deep, 2 feet square at the top and 18 

 inches square at the bottom outside measurements; or 

 have the tinsmith make a round bottomless dish-pan of 

 the same dimensions at the top and bottom. Grease the 

 manhole frame and set it on the platform where the open- 

 ing is desired. For the downspout from the roof, make an 

 opening by similar use of a round wooden plug or a short 

 section of drain tile or sewer pipe, which may be left in 

 the roof. 



Over the entire platform spread 1 inch of concrete. 

 Quickly place the reinforcing of J^-inch steel rods run- 

 ning in both directions (criss-cross) and spaced 1 foot 

 apart. Bend the ends to a hook shape and fasten them to 

 the rods in the side walls. Immediately tamp in the re- 

 maining 3 inches of concrete. Increase the thickness to 

 3'/2 inches at the center so as to shed the roof water. Fin- 

 ish the surface with a steel trowel. If the tin manhole 

 frame is to be used, grease it, set it in place and build the 

 cover along with the rest of the roof. Reinforce the cover 

 with short lengths of rods laid criss-cross and within 1 

 inch of the bottom. As lifting rings, use two halves of 

 an old bridle bit or two hitching past rings, the ends pro- 

 vided with knobs of twisted wire or with nuts and large 

 washers for holding the bolts firmly in the concrete. If 

 the wooden manhole "form is used, carefully remove it 

 after 5 hours. After 3 days build the manhole cover the 

 same as for the tin form, with this exception place 

 greased paper around the edges to prevent the new con- 

 crete from sticking to that of the platform. When the 

 cistern roof is 3 weeks old, lift off the manhole cover and 

 saw an opening in the wooden platform. Descend, loosen 

 the wedges under the studs and the stringers supporting 

 the platform, remove the forms and pass them aut through 

 the opening. To keep the settlings out of the house pipe, 

 screw a 4-inch length of pipe into the joint coupling. Fur- 



