cistern
Cisterns are storage tanks for rainfall that has been collected from a roof or some other catchment area. [1]
Many people in dry or rural areas have cisterns to back up their regular water supply, and in some cases, a cistern is used as the primary source of water for a household. [2]
An artificial reservoir or tank for storing water at atmospheric pressure (such as rain-water collected from a roof) for use when required. [3]
Waterproof lime plaster cisterns in the floors of houses are features of Neolithic village sites of the Levant at, for instance, Ramad and Lebwe, and by the late fourth millennium BCE, as at Jawa in northeastern Lebanon, cisterns are essential elements of emerging water management techniques in dry-land farming communities. [4]
Rough surfaced materials collect dirt and debris that affect the quality of the water collected. [1]
A receptacle for holding water or other liquid, especially a tank for catching and storing rainwater. [5]
The water from these systems, if managed correctly, can be used for drinking, bathing and cooking as well as for garden irrigation. [6]
The modern water closet or toilet utilises a cistern to reserve and hold the correct amount of water required to flush the toilet bowl. [3]
Advantages include the durability and added thermal mass, plus the fact that two walls of the cistern perform double duty as a portion of our cottage’s foundation. [6]
Modern cisterns range in capacity from a few litres to thousands of cubic metres, effectively forming covered reservoirs. [...] A closed space serving as a reservoir for lymph or other body fluids, especially one of the enlarged subarachnoid spaces containing cerebrospinal fluid. [3]
I formed up the floor of the cistern much as you would a sidewalk, driveway or other flat work. [6]
Very common throughout Brazil, for instance, they were traditionally made of concrete walls (much like the houses, themselves), with a similar concrete top (about 5 cm. [3]
Some countries or regions, such as Bermuda and the U.S. Virgin Islands have laws that require rainwater harvesting systems to be built alongside any new construction, and cisterns can be used in these cases. [...] It is recommended to inspect them regularly, keep them well-enclosed, and to occasionally empty them and clean them with an appropriate dilution of chlorine and to rinse them well. [4]
Sources:
[1] AE64/AE029: Cisterns To Collect Non-Potable Water For …
[2] What is a Cistern?
[3] cistern: Definition from Answers.com
[4] Cistern - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
[5] cistern - definition of cistern by the Free Online Dictionary …
[6] Dancing Rabbit: How to Build a Rainwater Catchment Cistern