Find the right water storage capacity for your home or business. Based on household size, daily usage patterns, and water supply reliability in your area.
Water storage is essential across Africa, where municipal supply can be unreliable. In cities like Lagos, Accra, Nairobi, and Dar es Salaam, most households rely on overhead or ground-level water tanks to ensure continuous water availability. Choosing the right tank size prevents both water shortages and unnecessary spending on oversized tanks.
The general rule is 150 litres per person per day for a comfortable household with indoor plumbing. For more conservative usage (bucket baths, minimal flushing), 80-100 litres per person per day is adequate. Multiply by the number of people and the number of backup days you need between refills.
Water tanks in Africa come in standard sizes: 500L, 750L, 1,000L, 1,500L, 2,000L, 3,000L, 5,000L, and 10,000L. The most popular household sizes are 1,000L and 2,000L. For a typical Nigerian family of 5 with poor water supply, a 2,000-3,000L tank is recommended. In areas with borehole or tanker-only supply, consider 5,000L or larger.
A family of 4 with moderate water usage needs about 600 litres per day. For 3 days backup, you need 1,800L minimum. A 2,000L tank is the standard recommendation. In areas with very poor supply, consider a 3,000L tank.
For a family of 5 using 150L per person per day, a 2,000L tank lasts about 2.7 days. With conservative usage (100L/person), it lasts 4 days.
Two tanks offer redundancy (one can be cleaned while the other is in use) and are easier to install on an elevated platform. However, one large tank is typically cheaper and simpler to plumb.
As of 2025, a 1,000L Geepee tank costs around NGN 50,000-70,000, while a 2,000L costs NGN 90,000-130,000. Prices vary by brand and location. Roto tanks in Kenya range from KES 8,000-15,000 for 1,000L.