BUILDING AN UNDERGROUND RAIN WATER CATCHMENT TANK |

This is going to so useful to catch the rain water from the house roof. During the summer months we get very little rain (if any), so this will be a game changer and one step closer to being self sufficient and off grid. Having the Bluetti’s is invaluable down by the bus. Keeping the pellet burner running all night now the evenings are cooling down.
Ironically, I’m trying to beat the rain whilst building this. Mother Nature has other plans.
#watertank
#diy
#offgrid
#building

[@rawilson1954]

Andrew, these last two videos remind me of my younger years here in Kentucky where we had cisterns as our only water source before public water was available in our rural area. Your work ethic and determination are only exceeded by your positivity. I look forward to seeing your adventures.

[@AndreaSimone57]

😁

[@Roberto-b1g]

Pretty amazing 👏 seeing you building that wall! And learn full also for a view viewer's mayby!such as my self😊 ohhh and the bikes overhere 👌

[@francisquigley7962]

Great job Andrew Just be careful back filling it do a little at a time and let it harden as you go along because the outside weight could burst your wall

[@rhondadorey1723]

Terrific job Andy, a real undertaking on your own. Give yourself a huge pat on the back!!😊🇨🇦

[@lillirod]

Hello Andy, this is a fantastic job, you are unstoppable! Glad you were able to achieve all alone while meeting numerous challenges!

[@davidcuttle4340]

When I was a lad we had an underground tank , probably about 10 times the capacity of yours built by my grandfather about 1900 . This tank had a sump for the pump to go in , I would recommend at this early stage to put a sump in about 15 to 18;inches deep. Save a lot of physical effort. Love watching your vids and seeing the progress you make.

[@Dzidekification]

I don't know you in person, but from your work I can say you're very organised and knowledgeable masonry builder. You make your work look easy but in fact it takes many steps to achieve the success . You with your work distance yourself from many amateurs' out there. It's pleasure watching your work from start to the completion . I lived 10 months in Greece and worked masonry over there-I know what I say.

[@bryansarty3821]

You did an excellent job Andrew! Hats off to you! You had me in stiches in your moments with the pump. SO glad that you left that part in your editing. I've been there myself.

[@misspnaylor]

Hi Andrew, thank you for this week’s entertainment. 😂😂😂 Your comedy sketch of pumping the water, had me in stitches. As the saying goes … carry on regardless! Good news you’re going to stay put. Pauline, Sheffield, UK

[@wethinkweknowitall]

I'm glad you are staying and making your home completely off-grid. It will be perfect for the years to come!

[@banana1618]

filled with awe, Andrew - great work... as someone who also does most DIY alone, I can empathise with the hassles involved. wtg!

[@glorialeopard8808]

Andy you are doing amazing. I know that up and down ladder is tough. To do all of that all by yourself is something to be proud of. Keep up the great job. Awesome content.

[@tibetanbowl7255]

Hi Andrew, well done mate, I used to build block and concrete Koi carp ponds and filter systems, in the render mix you can get bags of what looks like glass fibre strands to add to the mix these stop any cracking of the render, I used these on all the ponds I built with no issues, I did used to get called to ponds with leaks and they just had normal render which used to crack. On the ponds once the render had fully dried out I used to run a couple of layers of glass fibre matting around and a gel coat (with colour) I built some very large ponds and large filter systems from scratch. I would recommend the fibres as they are in-expensive and certainly do the job Keep up the great work it will pay off. wish I could be in the same situation life wise.

[@annas5000]

thanx for your videos, they are somehow very special, like no other. from what i see on KZbin, people who make videos on similar topics like going off grid, or living in Portugal, try to imitate your style or your ideas, but they just cannot become you. that's the point :) great skills, great work of yours. take care.

[@sonyagair1219]

Hi Blondy, see your doing well 😊. The well is coming along nicely. Good job! 👍

[@dawnfitzgerald2951]

Watching your progress in sunny Portugal while I sit in rainy Victoria BC, with my glass of wine is soooozen for me. How you manage on your own amazes me.❤️🇨🇦

[@jayneward6649]

Wow Andy, it looks amazing, you have done a brilliant job & you should be proud of your self, doing it all single handedly, well done you, take care ❤❤❤❤❤

[@pb973]

What a wonderful project. Who'd ever thought of it but you. I hope that cistern serves you well. The construction of the cistern is excellent. That perfectionist in you shows up in everything you build or renovate. You are a talented artist. God Bless and stay safe. 😊

[@kmm6463]

Hey Andrew, Sterling job as usual and it's nice to see you getting out and enjoying yourself on your bike. 😊

[@l.g.4451]

I can truly say that your cistern is a work of art--it's BEAUTIFUL! What a sense of accomplishment you must feel. You are amazing and I can see how you stay in tip-top shape.

[@DeirdreHickey-nx8nt]

Well done Andrew. No mean feat, carrying every single block down one at a time. Then the cement water etc. remember to take care of your arm. As usual it will be amazing when you are finished. Take it easy. 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@barryangelapool715]

Phenomenal job Andy. Isn’t it amazing how step by step big jobs diminish into achievable jobs. Well done. I will admit, we replayed that pump mishap a million times and laughed ourselves stupid 🤣🤣🤣🤣 very entertaining 👍👍👍

[@blondguy]

😂

[@KatT-qr6fi]

Hey Dude.. in Australia we use poly plastic water tanks..just drop them in place.connect pipes and ready to go! Saves days of labour👍

[@aussiebushgirl1829]

Yes, a far more reliable source for water storage. Above ground, then piped into wherever you need it. I’m sure they must have something similar in Portugal? The poly tanks have largely replaced the old corrugated-iron holding ones.

[@diogosilva2475]

Not only days of labour. This structure is prone to leaks. And to make matters worse, I doubt it will resist the force of the water on the wall .....

[@melniee2551]

Just wondering, is there a reason it needs to be a circle, and not something that might be easier to construct like a square or a rectangle? I'm not sure what this tank is for or if it will ever be seen.

[@jorgecruz-rios572]

I enjoy the level of detail to put into your work.

[@abigailgerlach5443]

Andrew, since you've repaired flat roofs before, are you familiar with the paint on rubberized waterproofing used on roofs? Would it work on your cistern/well/hole? If you painted the cement blocks with it, would it solve the porous surface problem?

[@HinterlandHitman]

Hello Andy, well done with the tank. I have a Water Tank like this in Southeast Queensland, Australia. If you take it up another couple of brick courses you'll increase the capacity substantially. Mine sits above the ground about 500cm. We live totally on Rainwater and you can't beat it.

[@chrisallen7068]

500mm?

[@StraussyStrauss]

No, it must be 500cm.

[@Rachels123]

I live on an island. The law requires every home to have a cistern. Nobody builds a round cistern out of block. Blocks are rectangular. To have the tightest seal the cistern should have 90 degree angles at the corners. The gap at the back of the blocks are weak points. Water is heavy. Also, cisterns have vertical steel in every block. Even if you bag your cistern it will break with no steel.😢

[@BrookeMonfort]

I'm impressed by your endurance and patience. And imagine you could go thru a case of Tiger Balm real quick doing all this solo. Thanks for sharing your projects. Looks a lovely place to live.

[@42apprentice]

Great work Andy, with the weather against you too, you must be chuffed to have literally built yourself out of a hole. I loved that Rusty Wrench place, it looks great fun.

[@Reet64]

So impressed with how you work! You did a great job!

[@chrisforrest4494]

Hi Andy, it's the first time for me to see a vintage vehicle in Portugal. I thought they didn't have anything old on the road. Thanks for taking us there.

[@blondguy]

They are dotted around. From time to time you see a load cars driving around in convoy, so there must be a few vintage car groups. The twisty roads here are great for a drive

[@embees4ever]

What an excellent job you are doing. Of course you should be proud of your self ❤️

[@kindness5130]

Nice progress! Looks great. Blessings.

[@hiris1903]

You did a perfect job of this Andy! You say you're not a professional, but I have to say you probably do a better job than many who claim to be. All that rain water was so frustrating and you gave us a good chuckle trying to get the pump to work for you; so happy when it did! Hope you warmed up! I wonder if the pipe underground to the cistern will be large enough for the downpours you get?

[@onofre1966]

why not squared?

[@williamconway1287]

That catchment tank is phenomenal looking and you already know that it will hold 3 inches of water . I expect that when you are finished it will hold as much as it is supposed to hold . Another productive week and great video ! Keep crackin on ! 🤩😁😎

[@tinkerbellblue5142]

Hi, just finished all ur videos 😁 all caught up loving the journey , greetings from Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@ashigargalo]

Well done Andy. you some man. Your work more in one week then a team. By the way in my opinion staying was the right move. Hope you be very happy (sure you will) in there.

[@judithtaylormayo]

why didnt you go filling out the exterior ofthe interior of the hole as you built the wall. Seem eassier to fillin a meter than 4 metersdeep and you wouldnt have air pockets

[@NomadMakes]

It's so great following your project. Cheers and thanks for sharing.

[@assuncaomeireles198]

O senhor Andrew fez um excelente trabalho muitos parabens o tanque ficou perfeito. Desejo lhe uma boa semana e muito obrigado 👍👍👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧 🇵🇹

[@KGTiberius]

1) why circular? 2) why no sub-tank gravel/sump pump/motion guard? 3) where is the steel? 4) where is the tank low spot for debris? 5) why didn’t you just sink a standard plastic cistern? 6) is this lined/sealed? 7) exterior seal, too? 8) entrance/maintenance access? I live where cisterns are 70% of our water (Virgin Islands). This was kinda painful to watch.

[@theelectricmonk3909]

Am not the guy in the video, but didn't much like the tone of your Q, so here are my answers (which may be wrong): 1) Why not? 2) Hindsight is 20/20 3) Why does it need steel? It's being backfilled for outer strength. 4) Up by the house there's a debris trap, as was explained in the video 5) Money. Self-sufficiency. Challenge. Longevity. 6) It's being rendered, as was explained in the video 7) Why would it need one? The internal render will seal it. 8) Presumably through the top, which isn't done yet.

[@KGTiberius]

thank you for catching the tone. It is rather incredulous. 1) circular is inefficient, the bricks make gaps. 2) hindsight isn’t necessary with a basic search. Innovation is nice, however, brick circles?? 3) steel for reinforcement. Water is heavy. 4) low spot and/or elevated pump to prevent debris is smart. Too much effort on level base in the video. 5) self sufficiency, longevity is a great goal. Circular bricks tends to leak. Transport of those bricks vs a standard plastic cistern (light weight, water proof) makes sense for such a small cistern m 6) rendered lining/sealed? Huh? 7) huh? 8) presumably? It didn’t appear so. This was a post of juxtaposition to detail issues with the build for others attempting to recreate. Proper questions to present.

[@johncowie3092]

Picking up all those blocks one handed is going to knacker your arm. These things take a long time to heal

[@saltygreek3870]

Concrete bricks are porous, most of that water came in from the outside of brick and leached in, reasonwhy there is that much water on the outside is because the residual water seeped into the dirt.

[@sitgesvillaapartmentneilsc7924]

I'm really sorry to say this, but as a builder that is going to leak like a sieve it's going to hold around 10 to 15000 L by the look of it so that's approximately 15 tons of weight pushing on the outside walls. There's no steel in it as far as I can see and you've not tied it into the base so unless you paint on a waterproof membrane on the inside almost certainly it is going to leak doesn't matter how much concrete you put on the outside. It will still leak. Basically what you constructing here is a swimming pool and they have to be built in a certain way because of the pressure, you normally would use waterproof concrete, plenty of steel and you'd vibrate the concrete in, normally with a pool you would blow the cement/concrete in under high pressure using a large compressor and pre mixed concrete/mortar I would definitely line this with some form of product you can pick up from your paint shop that is designed to line swimming pools, preferably flexible and put 3 to 4 coats on most of the shops on the Mediterranean will sell this it's around €100 for a 25 L bucket for a good one or you'll be very disappointed. Nice bit of work you would be better off putting in a plastic water tank or a bladder I realise Costa an issue here so make sure you line it with rubber paint, it's the same sort of stuff we use over here in Barcelona and you put three coats on it will do the trick but make sure you do it properly first coat down to seal the concrete, second third and fourth coats do them different ways, preferably spray it if you can make sure the joints are between the floor and the wall you do an extra layer. Good luck.

[@JakobFischer60]

I think what he needs is called sealing slurry. That is made to make walls waterprove.

[@2010wembley]

All that typing and you didnt even watch the video. 🤡

[@KiwiCatherineJemma]

From my Australian and New Zealand perspective, I'm wondering why the guy didn't just buy a mid sized food grade poly water tank in the first place? Maybe they're not available there ? Yes, they do cost money, but so does all the earthmoving he's had to have done as well as the concrete blocks and cement etc. In Australia they guarantee the food grade poly water tanks for 25 years (they're expected to last 50+). Yeah I'll go with the other commenters estimate that what you have is between 10 k and 15 k litres (so, 10 to 15 metric tonnes, just the water weight). Previously when I lived in rural Australia, I had a "Thousand gallon" tank (actually by my calculations it was 910 Imp gals), and it stood about 2 metres high and was about 2 metres in diameter, about 4 thousand litres so 4 metric tonnes weight, when full of water. My old house had a wide verandah around three quarters of it, so I picked a place where the verandah had an existing concrete floor, swept it, and sat the tank down, and connected it to the roof run-off. Job done, no special base required. Later I made up an overflow system that could optionally automatically bleed off water once it got about 95% full. I could direct that overflow water onto various trees around the garden. Note I did have a "city" water supply, that was metered and charged for. But the rainwater was free obviously, plus no chemicals in it. I reckon that from a 900 gallon/ 4,000 litre tank, I got at least 4 times that amount of water annually. Because as rainfall events were spread throughout the year, although mostly in Winter, I would use some water, and then the next rainfall episode would re-fill the tank again. Over and over throughout the year. Because the tank sat on the verandah, so was a few inches above ground level anyway, there was therefore always enough pressure to use the water by gravity and no water pump was needed. My place was almost dead flat only a few inches difference over a hundred metres., Australia, mate !

[@fordyootbling2189]

Superb job. Your efforts with the tin sheets were fine except that you should always have a small pitch in the sheets for run off. Otherwise it is a fantastic way of collecting water as you found. I am building right now in Oz and the council insist that I have 20,000 lts of water on the block. I will use plastic water tanks and start fighting when I have 10,000 lts for washing ,drinking and fire fighting. 10k Lts is enough for one old guy between summer and winter. Thanks for sharing your journey and keep it coming.

[@douglasrobbie9998]

I think you need to put a coating of hydraulic cement on the inside, the type they use for cisterns to prevent water intrusion and it allows for potable water use. A rubber paintable coating on outside would also help prevent ground water from entering the blocks from outside. Once done and backfilled you should attempt to get some water in cistern as it might try to float up (like a cement boat) due to heavy rain and temporary rise in ground water level.

[@janicenewton6359]

Nice Guzzi..thanks for taking us there...question..why are you building the cisterna round and not square?

[@patriciawilson6524]

Oh Andy how in the world did your arm and legs handle all that labor. My hats off to you...determination at its BEST.

[@brittawrolson5936]

Wishing you luck , Andrew. It’s tough work, so try not to push too hard. Set some easier goals for yourself as we won’t be judging from our armchairs!🤣🤗

[@graves3919]

Andrew, the connection from the pump goes inside the plastic pipe and is usually clamped in place with 2 heavy duty hose clamps

[@carolleenkelmann3829]

And we are extremely proud of you too, Andrew.

[@simonlewis6276]

Hi Andy .Whats the thinking behind steel in the base but none (so far ) in the walls ? I have built 3 cisternas over the years in your area and we have always used steel work and bricks rather than blocks .Last circular one we built was 2 parallel brick walls with a concrete and steel work infil of the void between the two parallel walls .Then an interior render and splash coat exterior before backfilling .Advice has been belt and braces as not only is water blood heavy stuff but we are prone to earth tremors which can and does crack cisternas without steel in them . Have I been over cautious .? but touch wood even the one I built 30 years ago has not sprung a leak ! Cheers

[@MariDorot]

My God so much work! You don't need a gym membership to workout that's for sure lol What a fantastic job you did. Andy, you need to start accepting sponsors. You use so many tools and gadgets, you'd be perfect to review them. I'm sure that many would find your reviews helpful. You can also just mention the brand/product and put an affiliate link in your description for anyone who wants to check that product out. Don't worry about pushing anything to us. Your videos take so much time and effort to make and you go into so much detail, it's only fair that you make a little bit of money ;-) Viewers expect this on KZbin. Plus you'd be helping others who are doing similar stuff to yours by pinpointing exactly what tools you're using.

[@Sema4beach]

Brilliant Job! Who would have thought that much water would get thru? Amazing 😮

[@raytheron]

Wow, Andrew, that was an awesome piece of work! Kudos, sir!

[@Nena84734]

That is some impressive work there Andrew, wow!

[@kimgreen9342]

That is some serious perseverance! Great job on the cistern. Looks like you could easily have a few. Those were some fancy bikes! Great video Andrew.

[@coffeecupcraftswithkelly2826]

Wonderful job! I’m amazed by your dedication and determination to keep on the path you’ve set for yourself! Don’t give up! Look at how far you’ve come in this journey and you’ll see what tremendous progress you’ve made! God bless!

[@marilynm8812]

You gained a lot of knowledge fixing the well. That is a major accomplishment for one person. Good luck with the roof.

[@wendyscott7432]

Andy, would you consider daily vlogging? Some who do it say it's easier than weekly vlogging because the content is more relaxed. Look at Escape to Rural France, The Pethericks, and The Chateau Diaries. Granted, their content is about grander buildings and sites, but their audiences might be looking for similar things to what you are about to provide ... in each case, they've re-invested early in their exponential growth (from dailies) and created a community to accelerate the work. The property you have is interesting in its own right ... the glamping plan is also interesting. Audience members who are immobile (and alone) love the community, the build, the viewership investment, and the comings and goings of people. Worth a try for a short period. Guide your existing audience to comment on SEO keywords and topics.

[@michaelmillward1530]

Great achievement Andrew, well done (from a fellow bricky👍🏻)

[@sappir26]

It amazes me to see how much effort you put into your projects and admire your dedication. I was sure it would take you much longer than a week to get that holding reservoir done but you did it 👌💯 loved the water pump splash too 😅. Stay dry and warm sweety, wouldn't want you to get a cold. Tchau for now ❤

[@carolleenkelmann3829]

Ciao. It's Italian. Tschüß is the German equivalent. You've managed to marry the two. 😊

[@MarianneInmarsilia]

Gorgeous sunrise from your bus ! Your land is lovely

[@digger8090]

Why not make the tank a rectangle and save all those problems with overlapping blocks?👍✅🇬🇧🍺great channel.

[@erhardt1477]

As far as the pipe through the garden is concerned … you don’t need to dig a trench… have a company come by and use a „rocket“ ! It’s like a underground device that drills through almost anything. It’s normally used for pipe and cables in the city, when you need to go underneath streets and walls… they can do it in ONE afternoon. Greetings from Germany everybody 👋 P.S. You should be proud sir, that would have been so much easier with a second pair of hands … that’s for sure 😊

[@Sarrett.Studios]

You should’ve dug a trench from the bottom elevation, downhill until you hit that level above ground, to be able to flush it and gravity feed the water out

[@joketendam5806]

Great work Andrew. Could you plug the holes in the roof sheeting with silicone? To make it water tight

[@galdessa1]

it wasn't just the holes, just laying sheets on top of each other the water will always drip throu. sheeting on top will fix most of the problem but water will still seep throu where it can.

[@jaymurtagh]

Well done, Andy . Brilliant job. I am sorry, but I laughed out loud when you got that face full of water from the pump.

[@dweamy1]

You did a really good job on that Andrew!

[@JohnEngeldal]

Andy with all that rain and water you know for sure now that its 99% not leaking😂

[@blondguy]

😄

[@dawnesurley118]

love watching all your journey !!! don't work sooo hard !!!!

[@dreidu]

People in general are just annoying. If you have not positive to say just say nothing... The amount of know it alls is just painful. Keep up with the videos and do whatever you think is best.

[@paulblagden8985]

AWSOME❤ AS USUAL

[@hjaltinielsen949]

Great job Andy - an absolute joy to watch - thanks!

[@mattgordon9179]

My thoughts are that you should be tanking the interior with a non permeable lining as even though you are backing filling......rendering and coating the interior, its not going to take much for hairline cracks to appear as there is no reinforcing in the block work, that you will end up with slow leaks. Most likely at the base between the floor and the first layer of blocks. Silly to see all that good water go to waste, especially in a drought. Another thing. Your out feed pipe should match your in feed pipe and they should be at least 90mm in diameter. You set it up for when its bucketing down otherwise you'll end up with a lake around your tank mate. Your out feed should really channel into a soak pit full of rocks. Cheers Big ears

[@williammaxwell1919]

For those who may build a cister in the future, pour the slab falling to a "dry sump", (in centre if circular cistern or a corner in square /rectangular) say 300mm square by 300mm deep (or the size your pump needs), so that a water pump can suck properly. Dry sumps are also good for sweeping /hosing sludge into for easier removal.

[@janeennichols4187]

You are incredible Andrew and should be proud of your achievements without help. Wonderful property.. so happy of your decision to stay and love your doggos

[@jpats6124]

Yay! Work on your own property, finally. You are so resourceful and knowledgeable. I am waiting with baited breath for you to start work on your house, but I love the infrastructure videos as well..

[@michaelsnelling2918]

great work … nicely dited and presented with a light touch … really watchable

[@magnolia7277]

Well done! I kept thinking put the pump in a bucket and fill the bucket up, so pleased you had the same thought eventually, another problem solution to bank away if needed again.

[@lawpow8088]

Wow, you should be proud of yourself completing this job on your own . Enjoyed every minute of it ,

[@joemurphy4517]

You are going to need to water proof the heck out of it. Building it out of concrete and blocks are basically a sponge. A solid vapor barrier is needed for sure. Inside and outside would be ideal. Nonetheless at least you're making it happen. Best of luck 👍

[@WhataTry]

Hindsight is wonderful, a lower sump dug out of floor , size of a bucket would work.😂

[@papaofthewoods5979]

Fill in around your cistern with sand or clean gravel. If you use the clay, the clay expands when wet and will crack your new cistern.

[@schweizermadel3810]

Great work, as usual, Andrew! I do wonder though, why you did not use the same concrete rings, you used for your well. Guess they are too expensive?

[@financesstudy6421]

that water inlet seems way too small, you need a big pipe to be able to accomodate stronger rain and water from all the roof

[@justoneacre7873]

Great idea with the water tank Andrew. I live in the south west of West Aust where most rural properties have water tanks. Water is such a valuable resource, I don’t understand why more people don’t do it.

[@galdessa1]

Its only properties away from the main drag that need it. In Africa we used bore holes 350 feet deep, then pump it up. The water was so soft.

[@gloriajeanshaeffer1549]

really enjoy seeing what you get into each week. So happy for you that you have decided to stay It is a beautiful place, My son and his family have a similar property in Sant Carles de la Rapita Spain and I love visiting there with all the olive trees and such Enjoy your life there it is beautiful . thanks for the comic relief with the pump!!! LOL!!! Bravo ! Job well done !

[@Bernie5172]

Perhaps an indent in the floor for the sump pump would have been beificail to pump out the water

[@roelienrudijansevanrensbur4172]

I can so relate to your "struggles" We are also busy renovating a stone village house and the hiccups can take soooo much time:-) Well done on Keep on keeping on!

[@honumoorea873]

It feel too complicated, I built one square, 3mx3mx2m deep but used hollow blocks, put metal bars in them and pour concrete. In my country (France) you can't build a retaining wall like you do, when the reservoir will be empty, what we call earth pressure could destroy those walls. Reason we use hollow blocks with bars, it's far stronger.

[@blondguy]

I wanted round. Would be interesting to see how you did it. Perhaps you can send me photos in messenger.

[@honumoorea873]

@@blondguy I agree that circular is stronger against earth pressure but blocs are not really connected to each others, it's like a tower of cards if it make sense. An example here : royaumedeole.fr/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/DSC05537.jpg

[@BernadetteAstrande]

You are a very hardworking man. Love your videos!!! Glad to see you take some time off. Aloha!!!!!

[@Philiphillos]

Hi Andy great work. A bit of constructive criticism, when you built your concrete base you should have built a concrete pit just big enough to house a sump pump lower than the tank floor. That would make it easier to pump the water out and when the tank is operational would make it easier to clean it when it’s needed. Also the way it is you will always have 6 or 7” of water at the bottom of the tank that you will not be able to use. And when using sump pumps put a non return valve on the outlet before attaching the hose otherwise when the pump stops the water in the hose comes back to where you just pumped it from.

[@handygrandpa]

My thoughts exactly...not too late for the sump pit and flow control valve.

[@Skattie]

Awesome, love how you get on with it after weighing stuff up

[@lynvoyager5976]

Good job Andrew though I wish you had laid the blocks holes side up so you could fill them with concrete to make the whole tank a lot stronger. Love your videos,

[@davidMsargeant]

Pity you did not use reinforcing mesh in the courses. It appears your backfill sans reinforcing and concrete is also doomed to water pressure fail. Is a pity for all your hard work. Good luck.

[@BuenavistaRuralClub]

Perhaps you need to make a hole about the size of the bucket in the middle of your well … 🤔 Good job though !

[@williambstolz3507]

Been watching you for several years now, Andrew, including the splendid rebuild of the broken down abandoned old house in town with your brother, James. I'm glad you decided to stay put in your rural spread near town rather than pull up stakes and go somewhere else. I've visited the Algarve several times, and your location close to Loulé seems ideal. I spend about half of each year in Portugal on the coast an hour south of Lisbon. If I can buy you a beer in your village next time I am down your way, that would be fun. Not sure how you handle people inviting themselves into your esconderijo, so what works for you works for me. The amount of outstanding work that you complete nearly every day, including shooting the videos and then doing post production, is frightening. As the guy from Kentucky below says, "Your work ethic and determination are only exceeded by your positivity." BTW, I have a 550-gallon cistern collecting water off half of my roof here in Metro Atlanta. I use that water to power wash my patio and all sorts of things, as well as to irrigation my garden. The resulting municipal water bill is absurdly low, and contributes to my goal of consuming as little treated water as possible. I use a Grundfos submersible pump from Denmark.

[@mvakili11]

You are truly a one man show, you are master in everything, I really admire your determination, very nice video, can’t wait for your next one, lots of love from Iran.

[@judyfudge2458]

So enjoy watching your videos every week. Your work is excellent and one day you'll sit on the roof with a pint and admire your accomplishments along with all your followers.