Inflatable Concrete Tank Provides Water To Victims Of Turkey-Syria Earthquake

On February 6, a devastating earthquake hit Turkey and Syria, destroying many homes and buildings, and disrupting access to drinking water.
 
As an aid to the crisis, a Turkey-based company called Deploy has sent out 14 inflatable concrete water tanks to help these communities back onto their feet. Royal College of Arts graduates Paul Mendieta and Beren Kayalī set up the company.

You might be thinking that the words inflatable and concrete don’t usually go together. In this case, however, they do. This is because the water tanks are made of a patented material called ‘Concrete Canvas’ that can be flat-packed by a forklift and air-shipped to disadvantaged communities.

The material is a cement layer between some fabric and a PVC liner. After it reaches its destination, it will rest over a base concrete slab. Then, an air pump inflates it, and a set-up team will hydrate it to activate its hardening properties. This solidifies over 24 hours when the eight-foot-tall structure hardens into a fire and waterproof tank.

In total, it can hold 3,698 gallons and has a lifespan of 20 years.
 
Thanks to its unique material, the tank is designed to be low-maintenance and self-repairing. This means that even in crises, areas in need won’t have to worry about maintaining their Deploy tank or wasting precious resources on them. In addition, cleaning the tank is a breeze, making it a hassle-free solution for communities facing water scarcity.
 
 
 
[via Dezeen and Sublime, images via Deploy]