A cistern (Middle English cisterne, from Latin cisterna, from cista, box, from Greek kistê, basket) is a receptacle for holding liquids, usually water. Often cisterns are built to catch and store rainwater.

Creating and using cisterns

Cisterns are built by digging a hole in the ground to form a tank, with a single opening in the top to allow access. The walls of a cistern must be watertight in order to retain moisture. In the early 1900s cisterns were often made with a cement floor and dirt walls that had been coated in plaster. Cisterns usually have a lid covering their openings to prevent dirt, animals, insects, and other things from getting into the water.

Cisterns are commonly used in areas where water is scarce, either because it is rare or because it has been depleted due to heavy use. Early on the water was used for many purposes, including cooking, irrigation, and washing. Present day cisterns are often only used for irrigation, due to concerns over water quality. Cisterns today can also be outfitted with filters or other purification methods when the water is meant for consumption.

Many greenhouses use cisterns to help meet their water needs, especially in the USA. Some countries, 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. Other countries, such as Japan and Germany, also offer financial incentives or tax credit for installing cisterns.

More history of the word

The word "cistern" is the translation of the Hebrew word bor, a receptacle for water that has been brought to it. This is distinguished from beer, which denotes a place where water rises on the spot, like a fountain. (Jer. 2:13; Prov. 5:15; Isa. 36:16)

Cisterns are frequently mentioned in Scripture. The scarcity of springs in Palestine made it necessary to collect rain-water in reservoirs and cisterns (Num. 21:22). Empty cisterns were sometimes used as prisons (Jer. 38:6; Lam. 3:53; Ps. 40:2; 69:15). The "pit" into which Joseph was cast (Gen. 37:24) was a beer or dry well. There are numerous remains of ancient cisterns in all parts of Palestine.

Notable cisterns include

• Basilica Cistern, in Istanbul, Turkey