Underground cisterns in Miami?

This week the UCU team (myself included) from Miami-Dade Extension was invited by an area environmental organization to inspect the underground cistern at its recently acquired office space. Located in Miami's Little Havana neighborhood, the property dates back to the 1920s.

We were impressed with the size of the iron pipes feeding the cistern! And when they told us they had never actually looked inside for dimension info we swung into action.

Turns out the group is a proud owner of a 9ft x 14ft x 14ft underground cistern! This is an invaluable resource for a environmental organization with plans to set up a demonstration native plant landscape on its property. They plan on tapping the cistern with a pump for micro-irrigation to service the drought tolerant landscape. Naturally, the UCU will be offering knowledgable advice as the project proceeds.