Forgive me if there is another post about water. I just got the game and in survival. I was trying to make a well so I do not have to run to a lake or pond to drink. No matter how much water I poured into a well type area, the water moved up. Same goes for down, you can drown if too deep. Placing water is 1 per tile. Water have some strange things in the game. You can place water from a bucket in a hole, on a side of block, or open ground which look like jello. Just cannot stack the water. Also if sinks could give water to drink or use.
Have not found lava or sand to see if the stays on top or disappear.