Water
Water, specifically fresh water, is a vital natural resource in the game, extracted by pumping groundwater with a Groundwater Pump or collecting rainfall via a Rainwater Harvester in the early game. It’s essential early on for producing Concrete Slabs in the Concrete Mixer and refining Impure Copper in a Copper Electrolysis. From the mid-game onward, water becomes available through Groundwater Wells on the World Map and via Thermal Desalinators, fueling petrochemical production chains and steam power generation.
Excess water can be dumped into the ocean using a Liquid Dump, but this is rarely advisable due to its widespread use and the finite nature of groundwater reserves, which can deplete without rainfall.
Groundwater and Rainfall
Groundwater reserves are finite but regenerate slowly through rainfall. The replenishment rate depends on the reservoir’s capacity and the intensity of the rain. For example:
- A 15,000-unit reservoir regenerates 14 units per day during normal rain (50% intensity) and 28 units per day during heavy rain (100% intensity).
- A 12,000-unit reservoir regenerates 11 units per day in normal rain and 22 units per day in heavy rain.
The replenishment formula for groundwater is:
- Daily Regeneration = (Reservoir Capacity × 0.00185) × Rain Intensity
Where:
- 0.00185 is the base replenishment rate (0.185% of capacity per day).
- Rain Intensity is 0.5 for normal rain and 1.0 for heavy rain (values are rounded to whole units).
For a 15,000-unit reservoir:
- Normal rain:
15,000 × 0.00185 × 0.5 = 13.875
(rounds to 14 units). - Heavy rain:
15,000 × 0.00185 × 1.0 = 27.75
(rounds to 28 units).
A Rainwater Harvester collects water directly from rainfall, producing 0.5 units per day during normal rain and 1.0 unit per day during heavy rain.
A Farm collects water into its soil buffer, regenerating 2.5 units per day during normal rain and 5.0 units per day during heavy rain.
The replenishment formula for rainwater harvesters and farms is:
- Daily Regeneration = Base Rate × Rain Intensity
Where:
- Base Rate is 1.0 for a Rainwater Harvester and 5.0 for a Farm (assuming no yield multipliers).
- Rain Intensity is 0.5 for normal rain and 1.0 for heavy rain.
- Note: These rates assume the global rain yield multiplier is 100%. If modified (e.g., via research), the rates will scale accordingly.
Over a year, assuming 40 rainy days:
- A 15,000-unit reservoir regenerates 560 units in normal rain (14 × 40) or 1,120 units in heavy rain (28 × 40).
- A Rainwater Harvester yields 20 units in normal rain (0.5 × 40) or 40 units in heavy rain (1.0 × 40).
- A Farm collects 100 units in normal rain (2.5 × 40) or 200 units in heavy rain (5.0 × 40).
The number of rainy days depends on the weather, which varies by difficulty and year. See the Weather page for details on weather patterns and their impact on water availability.
Strategic Notes
Groundwater depletion is a real risk without consistent rainfall. Players should monitor reserves and consider supplementing with Thermal Desalinators in dry climates. Rainwater harvesters and farms can help in rainy regions, but their output is limited compared to wells, making them less viable for large-scale water needs in the mid-to-late game.
Recipes
Production
Consumption