This Old House

Collecting Water - The Bermuda House

Master carpenter Norm Abram and host Kevin O'Connor open the show 120 feet below ground exploring the Crystal Caves of Bermuda. Back at Harbour View, Kevin finds project manager Alex DeCouto overseeing the prep and pour of the second floor deck on the addition. Plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey meets civil engineer Keith Claridge on a neighborhood roof to see how 95% of Bermudians obtain drinking water - by collecting rainwater in roof catchments and cisterns known as "tanks." They visit a massive military fort turned catchment, as well as a modern reverse osmosis plant to see how the government supplements the water supply. Two weeks of rain might be good for the tank levels, but it's bad for the construction schedule, so foreman John Richardson shows Norm and Kevin how work has progressed on the interior of the house, despite the rain.