Water truck gallon capacity – We Have Answers!


Water trucks are a specialized kind of vehicle meant to transport multiple gallons of water from large or short distances. When setting up an order for a water truck, what is the average gallon capacity and what are some tips and tricks that you need to know about?

Small water trucks can carry up to 1,000 to 6,000 gallons, depending on the vehicle model. Large water trucks can hold up to 12,000 gallons, while special edition models can hold up to 70,000 gallons for extenuating circumstances. Water trucks require a driver with a commercial driver’s license.

To understand the usual application of water trucks, average price, and other requirements when using a water truck, continue reading below!

What Is A Water Truck?

You’ve probably seen these vehicles while on a road trip, during construction in rural areas, or even in emergency situations. Otherwise, a water truck may be foreign to you. Today, we are here to clear this up for you!

Water trucks are specialized vehicles meant for transporting many gallons of water. These vehicles typically have controlled spray nozzles attached to the exterior for easy use. In most states, water trucks can carry 6,000 gallons at a time unless special permission is admitted.

Water trucks can carry a wide variety of gallons, but the average gallon capacity is 6,000 gallons for a small water truck. A water truck is made of 3 components: the water tank, the rig, and the pump and spray equipment.

The Water Tank

The water tank is the gallon capacity for the water that needs to be distributed. Tank size varies depending on the purpose of the vehicle.

The Rig

The rig is the cabin where the driver operates the vehicle. It also is where the control centers for the vehicle are and how the driver can control how much water is dispersed.

Pump and Spray Equipment

This is located on the front, back, and side of the water tank. This equipment includes hose reels, gravity dumps, and water cannons. This helps the water physically be distributed and is located on the exterior of the water truck.

What Water Truck Sizes Are There?

There are a wide variety of water truck models that carry different gallon sizes. Here is a comprehensive list of average water truck sizes and gallon capacity.

Typical small water tanker trucks are 20 feet long and 7.5 feet wide and 7.5 feet deep. The tank volume is 4,120 gallons.

Small Water Truck Size (feet)Water Capacity (gallons)
19 x 6.6 x 3.92,641
25.5 x 8 x 103,170
33 x 8 x 10 3,962
35 x 8 x 104,227
39 x 8 x 116,604
Liquid Truck Size and Capacity Chart

Why Are Water Trucks Used?

Water truck
Water truck

Water trucks are used for dust control, fire control, farming, mining, filling swimming pools, soil compaction, or even storage for emergency situations in remote locations.

Farming and Fire Fighting

Water trucks can also be used to transport not just clean water, but recycled water for farming, purification, or fire fighting. Yes, firefighting! In rural areas where no fire hydrants are located or are not in working order, water trucks are used often.

Construction

Water or liquid trucks are also used for construction, such as large buildings, bridges, and roads. Using this water can help to compact soil at construction sites. This is for safety measures so construction workers can safely transport equipment such as rollers, vibratory plates, and rollers.

Natural Disasters and Emergencies

In cases of natural disasters or humanitarian efforts, water trucks will transport much need drinkable water. It can also be used in remote mining sites so that workers can have clean water to drink.

Another way water trucks are used is for dust control. This can be either for emergency situations or construction dilemmas. Water can maintain the dust and improve the health of construction workers by reducing the chance of respiratory issues, eye and lung irritation, and heart disease from silica. It can also improve the health of the environment by limiting the spread of harmful chemicals that construction sites produce.

What Is The Average Price For a Water Truck Order?

CAT-Rental-Water-Truck

A professional water delivery service can charge anywhere from 200 to 400 dollars per truckload and each truckload holds an average of 6,000 gallons. Other companies charge by the gallon. Regardless of how the water is charged, you will need to pay a minimum travel fee of about $100 depending on the distance.

There may also be extra costs involved. If you need a hose larger than 500 feet, a fee for extra hosing may be involved. If the truck is used for longer than the rental allowed, additional fees may apply.

What Are Safety Tips When Driving a Water Truck?

Here are our top safety tips when driving a water truck.

  1. To avoid unpredictable accidents when driving a water truck, be sure that water tanks that are rounded are not filled completely. If they are, there is a possibility of the vehicle rolling during windy or stormy conditions.
  2. Keep the water warm before using the truck to build up the correct amount of air pressure for the vacuum brakes to work.
  3. Use extreme caution when accelerating, decelerating, or changing lanes. Doing this aggressively can upset the water truck’s center of gravity, causing unprecedented accidents.

Is It a Good Investment To Purchase a Water Truck?

Business owners or investors may purchase a water truck and lease it out to their employees or other companies. This can be a great investment if renting water trucks is becoming a major expense for your business. Even if you already own a water truck, many will lease it out for a profit if they do not use the vehicle often.

However, when renting it out, do your research on what company you decide to go with. Because water truck owners do not read the fine print, many times they can be caught in a bad investment deal.

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