Cistern Cleaning & Repair

Thousands of homes around Billings, Molt, Broadview, Acton, and Shepherd depend on cisterns for household water. Sediment, bacteria, leaks, and pump failures can affect stored water and its reliable supply.

TLC Patriot provides cistern cleaning, installation, repair, inspection, and pump services. Our engineering process also supports pump and water-system design matched to the property.

Regular cistern cleaning removes debris, sediment, bacteria, viruses, and other harmful microorganisms from your water storage. Over time, sediment settles on the cistern floor and biofilm coats the walls -- both harbor bacteria and cause the musty or stale odors cistern owners know too well. Our process drains the tank, physically removes all sediment and buildup, disinfects the interior surfaces, and leaves your cistern ready for fresh water.

We recommend cleaning annually, or sooner if you notice odd tastes, odors, discoloration, or after any contamination event. Pair the cleaning with a water quality test and you'll know -- not hope -- that your family's water is safe.

Need a new cistern? We handle the full installation process: excavation, cistern placement, pump installation, piping connections, and monitoring setup. As an excavation contractor with in-house expertise, we set cisterns correctly the first time -- properly bedded, buried below Montana's frost line, and plumbed for reliable year-round service. Our team ensures everything is connected and functioning before we leave, and we'll walk you through operation and maintenance.

Our technicians diagnose leaks, cracks, pump failures, and control or wiring problems. Common symptoms include water loss, low or fluctuating pressure, short-cycling pumps, and wet ground near the cistern.

We service and replace cistern, septic, transfer, and ejection pumps and assess the plumbing and controls around them. Our team uses the engineering process to review the pump and water-system design and recommend a solution for reliable supply.

We recommend a cistern inspection at home purchase and as an annual best practice. An inspection checks structural condition, lid and vent security (critical for keeping contaminants and pests out), pump and pressure system health, and water clarity. Buying a rural property? Cistern inspections can be cross-referenced with our septic system inspections for a complete water-and-wastewater assessment in a single visit.

A dependable water supply starts with a system designed for the property. Through our in-house engineering process, our team reviews pump sizing, pressure and flow needs, piping, and system controls.

We coordinate the design with cistern installation or repair so the components work together. Talk to us about pump upgrades or a new water-system design for your home or business.