Key rule: Water is consumed when it touches Sand or Seed. Separate reservoirs from raw inputs and meter Water into each production area.
Water sources
Current official sources are surface lakes, underground deposits, melted Ice, Rain formed when Steam reaches the sky and Lumlings. For renewable production, use the dedicated Infinite Water guide.
What consumes Water
These reactions are useful but dangerous near bulk storage. A falling Sand pile can quietly absorb an entire open reservoir. Use walls, controlled vents and separate chambers.
What blocks Water
Water is blocked by solid Blocks, Conveyor Belts, Kinetic Presses and Flux Emanators. It passes through most other buildings, notably basic Filters. Advanced Filters can affect liquids.
Seal corners carefully. Water can slip through where two block corners meet unless another block closes the gap.
Pump, Pipe and Liquid Vent setup
- Place the Pump at a height where liquid is at or above its intake.
- Connect the Pump to a Liquid Vent with Pipes.
- Place the Vent above the target pool's intended maximum level.
- Keep different fluids on separate pipe networks.
A single pipeline can carry multiple fluids, but a Liquid Vent cannot choose which fluid to release. It prioritizes the closest one, so shared lines create unpredictable output.
Why loose Water disappears
Water pools in depressions and spreads until its surface is flat. A droplet that cannot settle into a depression within 45 seconds evaporates. Build capture basins with clean slopes and avoid leaving tiny droplets skittering across flat roofs or floors.
Troubleshooting checklist
- Check for Sand or Seed touching the reservoir.
- Inspect diagonal corner leaks.
- Verify the Pump is at the correct liquid height.
- Ensure the receiving pool is below the Vent level.
- Separate mixed-fluid pipe networks.
- Give Rain a deep basin before droplets evaporate.
Official sources
Official Water reference · Official Beginner's Guide · Official Steam page