byI almost have a cistern with a well set up. it's taken ages to get the rocks cleared out of it (had to also rush-order a bunch of wheelbarrows), but it's almost ready for filling.
got a bit of extra time pressure - some goblin snatchers came through and I locked them in the fortress while quickly sending an unarmed squad at them. the squad WILL be armed soon but I don't currently have the outfits and weapons they'll need. they won their fight against the snatchers but one got injured, so I need to get him water soon.
I pulled the levers to open some floodgates to flood a cistern and had the worst outcome: no flooding but also the water isn't actually getting into the cistern. so I have to close them up, let it dry out, and then dig again. it's also almost winter so I might need to wait another three months on top of the year this has taken.