HEAVY CONSTRUCTION of a Sewage Pump Station - Ep 1

I'm on location to document the construction of a new wastewater lift station!

Huge thanks to our project partners!
Engineer: Utility Engineering Group

Practical Construction is a YouTube channel dedicated to the built environment. The show builds on the success of @PracticalEngineeringChannel , one of the largest engineering channels on YouTube, with more than 3 million subscribers and monthly viewership in the millions. Hosted and produced by civil engineer Grady Hillhouse, Practical Construction videos provide thoughtful and engaging explanations of how the world is built (and maintained) around us.

Credits:
Created by Grady Hillhouse
Edited by Wesley Crump
Camera Operator Josh Lorenz
Script Editing by Ralph Crewe
Graphics by Max Moser
Music by Donovan Bullen
Color Correction and Blurring by the Nebula Studios team

[PracticalEngineeringChannel]

🚧Thanks so much for letting me try something totally new and different on the channel! What did you think?

[jordansean]

This felt like a kids show written with an adult level of detail. Love it!

[TwitchIlluminati]

As a Civil Engineer and project manager in construction, I can watch this all day

[moizrang]

Great new series. Hope this turns into a big success and more projects in future.

[PeterTodd]

Grady, thank you!

This is so well put together, highly informative and so interesting.
Just the right level of detail, not so much that you get bogged down or overwhelmed.
The scripting is on point and the visuals all relevant.

Content of this quality is really hard to find on YT.

Excellent work! A+

[stuartstephens]

This will be a good series. I'm a retired engineer. I spent most of my career in the water/wastewater industry and worked on many lift station projects. It's interesting to note the differences in construction you use in the south, compared to up here in the northern US - for instance a lot of your process piping and valves are above grade in open air, where we have to worry about freezing temperatures.

[Beryllahawk]

This was SO FUN. It's fascinating to realize how much goes into what some folks would only see as a big mess and a big inconvenience. This was like real-life Bob the Builder, and I mean that in the very best way! (And as a total side note: I think the crew was just as glad you were over there quietly having lunch and staying out from underfoot!)

And it's even MORE interesting for me because soon - there will be some water-and-sewer work going on right in front of my house!!! Our whole neighborhood just got the official word from the city, they're finally able to update the water mains and all the other lines. It'll involve digging up the entire street, in sections of course, and they're projecting it to be a one year to 18 month project. Everyone's pretty excited about it (some in a good way and some not so much haha). I for one am REALLY looking forward to not having terrible colors show up in the water anymore >.>
(as far as I know the mains here were laid down fifty years ago, and the soil here is VERY damp, clay/sand mix, because southeast US; so you can maybe imagine the kind of damage those pipes have endured over the decades. add in a kerfuffle involving the tax money for the city and.... we're just glad to finally get some updates!)

[nightraven]

it's amazing that you've come so far that places like the san antonio river authority now see you as a legitimate way to educate the public on things like this, I love it.

[jlconway]

Oh man this is *quality* stuff. You're nailing it. All the stuff that made the big networks big back in the day, it's right here but it's better. No drama, no fake shine. Just the meat of a good project. It's like the construction/engineering version of why I watch Nature, NOVA, Planet Earth, etc. Yes please.

[philh]

This truly is next level production. Perfect narration, audio clarity, diagrams, art, b roll, drone shots, time lapse, composition, sound production, and detailed scientific explanation for the layman. This channel is $$$$.

[mindgame]

The production quality of these videos really makes you appreciate the amount of effort and time put in these videos. This kind of quality easily surpasses the old videos I used to watch on the Discovery channel for instance!

[joshuamoore]

As a Pump Engineer in the UK I am excited to see how you guys over the pond get it done!

[Envirokie]

Funnily enough, I am currently in the construction phase of a 10 MGD submersible station. (My first plan set I personally stamped.) We are just finishing up submittals!


Edit: I also loved that you purposely showed the pump truck's prime not going into the pour location. Sometimes we have to provide a friendly reminder to the contractor that the pump truck's prime is not considered concrete. haha

[chadbyous]

I have really been missing shows like that on TV, and your regular content really helps to scratch that itch for me. This latest idea is fantastic, and I think you’ve really nailed exactly what you were going for. The production quality is incredible. The editing, sound, camera angles, and everything else looks like something straight off of Discovery, History, or Nat Geo.

I truly hope you keep making more of this and everything else, because you clearly enjoy it, and so do I.

[Mason]

As a San Antonio native in construction, I love seeing these videos. I’ve seen that exact same 300 ton Howell crane on one of my projects too! Keep up the good work

[GripGuitar]

I think this will be a beneofical series. There is often a disconnect between the guys in the office and the ones in the field. As one of the office guys, this helps 😄

[reidg]

I’m currently working on the design and construction of a sanitary lift station in my city, and you have no idea how thrilled I was to see this appear on my feed!

[calebb]

ok, its so cool that they allowed you to be there during the construction, and even put cameras on the equipment. that is a really nice touch that i din not expect. i already love this new series

[AustinBlackwell-nc]

I do underground utilities for work and man I love a pump station, water mains, sewer, fire mains, force mains and everything in between

[awg]

My dad is a soils engineer, and Ive been around heavy civil my entire life, Im all for episodes like this