UAE-based Specialized Architectural Systems (SAS) has been the exclusive distributor of Pioneer Water Tanks, one of Australia's largest designated tank manufacturers, for over 12 years.

The range of applications offered by Pioneer, varies from potable water storage to irrigation tanks to desalination plants to demineralised water for power plants to fire water storage. Sizes range from 20,000 to 2.5 million litres.

Pioneer Water Tanks have a life expectancy of more than 25 years and are covered with a one-year product warranty, extendable up to 10 years if the tank is maintained in accordance with the Pioneer Maintenance Manual for this period, according to SAS.

Design flexibility, durability, cost effectiveness, ease of installation, and the wide range of sizes available, have made Pioneer water tanks one of the best water storage systems available on the market today, says a spokesman for SAS.

'Pioneer's original tank design was developed primarily for Australia's mining industry where heavy vehicles and mine site blasting caused the concrete tanks to crack and eventually leak. Pioneer's tank, being of a bolted wall-panel construction, has the flexibility to withstand the earth movement, and the use of internal waterproof liners prevents the direct contact of water with the steel components, thereby eliminating the risk of corrosion, he says.
Pioneer water tanks are cylindrical in shape with a variety of roof options including dome-shaped, conical and fabric roofs. Tanks are made of high quality, V-lock corrugated, steel bolted panels, protected with BHP Zincalume coating which combined offers remarkable anti-corrosion properties and unparalleled strength to present a robust shell that supports the hydrostatic pressure, the spokesman points out.

A one-piece, fibre-reinforced, heavy-duty, polyethylene or polypropylene liner is fitted inside the tank shell to store the water in a clean, hygienic and sealed surrounding. This ensures that the quality of the stored water is in compliance with the regulations of all local and international health authorities.

Recognising the similarities between Australia's harsh and dry desert and that of the UAE, SAS foresaw the advantages of the Pioneer tank. Site remoteness and the associated difficulty in access, had meant carting tools and equipment was not only time-consuming but also expensive. Pioneer's unique knock-down kit makes it an ideal and cost effective solution to build and transport. Each tank body is only 1 per cent of the finished installed size. Typically a couple of men can install a 100,000-litre tank in just a day. Additionally tanks can be moved to a new location if so desired, says the spokesman.

SAS has successfully supplied and installed hundreds of tanks in many of the Middle Eastern countries including the UAE, Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon.

The growing list of satisfied customers includes: municipalities, dairy farms, poultry farms, hobby farms, horse stables, irrigation and landscape contractors, labour camps, ready-mix cement plants, and many others.
SAS always stocks a range of several sizes of tanks and they can also be customised as per the project requirements, the company says.