Today, the egg-shaped concrete tank has siblings that come in many sizes and in many shapes: conical, rectangular, square, pyramid, truncated and, in a nod to the past, amphora-shaped.

For towns with aging concrete water tanks, the dilemma is usually the same: repair or build new. In repair, re-waterproofing can buy another decade or two so they can budget for the new expense.

When Smith visited Bordeaux and found out Château Pontet-Canet incorporated some of their vineyard earth into their concrete tanks, he knew he wanted to do the same. Smith sent some of his calcium ...

Discover how concrete septic tanks are made—from precise casting and reinforcement to advanced curing techniques. Explore the ...