Probably Stolen Water Purification Guide
Test the water, treat the contaminants you actually have, then test again before labelling and selling. A filter, a tablet and a powered purifier do different jobs.
On this page
Start with one small batch
- 01
Put the source water in a container
Keep a separate receiving container ready. Check its free space before pouring; an almost-full container makes it harder to see what one treatment changed.
- 02
Read the water before treating it
Use a Water Testing Strip for quality. AquaScan also identifies impurities, helping you choose a treatment instead of repeatedly buying the wrong filter.
- 03
Choose a treatment for that result
Use the comparison below. Check the description of your exact tool and its remaining condition, especially when following footage from an older build.
- 04
Retest and label the finished batch
Confirm the new result rather than keeping the source label. Record the amount treated and what you spent before scaling up your water business.
A practical starting point for Basewater
The published release Water Trading Manual recommends combining purification tablets with a filter pitcher for many ordinary batches. Put a usable filter inside the pitcher, treat the source water with the tablet as needed, pour into the filtered pitcher and retest.
Starting contamination still matters. The manual warns that Gutterflow wears filters rapidly; do not expect the same supplies to clean every source. For Pure Water, it points to a dedicated Water Purifier with the appropriate modules.
Water grades at a glance
| Grade | Purity reference |
|---|---|
| Gutterflow | Below 90% |
| Rustwater | 90% to below 96% |
| Ghostwater | 96% to below 98% |
| Basewater | 98% to below 99% |
| High-Quality Water | 99% to below 99.9% |
| Pure Water | 99.9% and above |
Grade names and bands follow the published in-game manual. A target grade describes the result, not a guaranteed recipe from any starting mixture.
Which tool should you use?
| Tool | What to check |
|---|---|
| Water Filter | Condition, installed filter and the types of particles it can remove. Ordinary filtration does not solve every contaminant. |
| Purification Tablet | A chemical treatment, not a promise of Pure Water. Retest the contents after use. |
| UV treatment | Useful against microbes; do not assume it also removes metals or chemicals. |
| Water Purifier | A powered machine. Read its current module setup and inspect the water after its overnight cycle. |
| HydraTech purifier | Read the portable device’s own output and condition limits; do not substitute the powered-machine instructions. |
What changed in 1.0.0.2?
The official hotfix reworked Water Purifier logic. It also lowered the Water Filter price from 50 to 25 and the Moisture Farm from 650 to 350. Dr. Jackson’s Normal-difficulty markup was reduced from 25% to 15%.
An old Demo calculation can therefore give the wrong shopping budget or expected output. Use the current in-game description and test a sample before spending your rent reserve.
The patch confirms a logic change; it does not publish a complete replacement formula.
If the water will not reach your target
- 01
Compare contaminants, not just the percentage
Two batches at the same purity can need different treatment. An unchanged result may mean the remaining impurity is outside the tool’s capabilities.
- 02
Check the setup before another cycle
Inspect filter condition, container contents, power and the machine’s installed modules. Change one thing at a time so you can identify the cause.
- 03
Check the label only after testing
A new label does not purify the liquid. Keep a note of the actual result, rather than treating the name on a purchased container as proof.
Make the next batch worth producing
Treat the first batch as a measured trial. Note source cost, treatment supplies, power and the sale you actually receive. Do not count the whole selling price as profit.
Keep enough cash for the rent shown in your save. Increase batch size only after you can finish the treatment and find a buyer without tying up that reserve.
Common questions
How do I get Basewater?
The release manual recommends tablets plus a filtered pitcher for many starting batches. Retest for the Basewater band of 98% to below 99%; the amount of treatment depends on the starting contaminants.
Why is an old purifier guide giving different results?
The 1.0.0.2 hotfix explicitly reworked the machine. Demo rules and launch-day results may not match the current build.
Can I change water quality with the labeller?
The label describes the batch; it is not a purification tool. Test and treat first, then label the resulting water.
Sources & version notes
Official patch & community mechanics. Sources reviewed October 30, 2026. This guide does not claim an independent in-game test.
- Official Water Balance & Hotfix 1.0.0.2
Purifier change and listed price adjustments.
- Water Trading Manual
Community publication of the release in-game manual: grade bands and basic pitcher/tablet workflow.
- Nico Wiki: water purification
Community analysis of game mechanics; not our own in-game test.