Brian Barton
Cities Skylines is a city-building game that involves managing various aspects of urban development, including pollution control. While it is impossible to completely eliminate pollution without using DLC buildings or special mods, players can employ several strategies to minimize its impact and keep their citizens happy and healthy. This paragraph will discuss ways to address industrial pollution in Cities Skylines, including strategic zoning, pollution containment, and the use of mods and upgrades to reduce pollution levels.
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What You'll Learn
Place industrial zones away from residential areas
In Cities: Skylines, pollution is an eyesore that sinks property values and causes health problems. While it is impossible to completely avoid pollution without using DLC buildings or special mods, the right policies and building choices can keep pollution to a minimum.
One of the most important things players can do to mitigate pollution is to place industrial zones away from residential zones. Even farming and forest zones produce noise pollution, which can annoy and sicken citizens. If industrial zones are located near residential areas, citizens will start to get sick.
To avoid this, players can create industrial zones away from the city centre, near the border of their town. They can also draw a district around their industrial zone and specialize that district in farming or forestry, as these industries do not cause pollution (at least within the game). Players can also allow regular industrial buildings to upgrade, as upgraded industry buildings tend to produce less pollution than level one versions.
Another strategy to deal with pollution is to import goods from other cities, keeping the pollution there instead of in your own city. Additionally, while it is not possible to get rid of ground radiation without demolishing all factories, the "No Radioactive Desert And More!" mod can remove the visual indicator of ground radiation.
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Use mods to remove pollution
While it is impossible to completely avoid pollution in Cities: Skylines without using DLC buildings or special mods, there are mods available that can help reduce or eliminate pollution. One such mod is the “No Ground Pollution” mod, which completely gets rid of ground pollution in the game. This mod is accessible in the game's “Settings” menu or through the “Content Manager” by clicking “Options” under the mod's name. Another option is the “Eden Project Monument”, which eliminates all pollution and gives all land maximum land value, although some players may find it over the top.
In addition to these mods, there is also the “Pollution Solution” mod, which allows players to enable or disable noise, ground, and water pollution individually. This mod provides settings that can be adjusted while the city is running, allowing for real-time changes to pollution levels. Players can also try the “Game Anarchy” mod, which has been reported to remove pollution as a mechanic, specifically addressing noise and ground pollution.
It is worth noting that some players have reported issues with mods not working as intended. For example, one player shared their experience with the Pollution Solution mod, stating that it did not seem to work for them. Additionally, while the Game Anarchy mod can address noise and ground pollution, it may not completely eliminate these types of pollution.
To effectively manage pollution in Cities: Skylines, players should also consider implementing the right policies and making thoughtful building choices. For instance, placing industrial zones away from residential areas can help minimize the impact of pollution on citizens. Upgrading industrial buildings can also reduce pollution, as higher-level buildings tend to produce less pollution than their level one counterparts. Additionally, switching industrial areas to specialties like farming and forestry, which do not cause pollution, can be an environmentally friendly approach while still meeting the demand for industry zoning.
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Upgrade industrial buildings
While it is impossible to completely avoid pollution in Cities: Skylines without using DLC buildings or special mods, there are some strategies you can employ to manage and reduce pollution levels in your city, specifically by upgrading industrial buildings.
Upgraded industrial buildings tend to produce less pollution than level one buildings. To upgrade your industrial buildings, you must first reach the Worthy Village milestone. This will unlock the ability to create districts and assign them specialized industries.
Two of the industries you can specialize in, farming and forestry, do not cause pollution (within the game). By switching all your industrial areas to one of these specialties, you can meet the demand for industry zoning while also reducing pollution. However, it is important to note that several farming and forestry buildings in the Industries DLC do produce pollution.
Another strategy to reduce pollution is to keep your industrial zones away from residential zones. Even farming and forestry zones produce noise pollution, which can negatively impact your citizens. Additionally, consider importing goods from other cities to keep the pollution levels in your city low.
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Assign farming and forestry specialisations
One of the most effective ways to tackle industrial pollution in Cities: Skylines is to create specialized industrial zones. Once your city reaches the population milestone of 850, you unlock the ability to create districts and assign them specialized industries.
Farming and forestry are two of the specialized industries that do not cause pollution. By drawing a district around your industrial zone and specializing in farming or forestry, you can significantly reduce pollution levels. These industries are slightly more profitable than regular industries and do not contribute to environmental degradation.
To create a specialized district, use the district creation tool, which appears as a new option next to the street and zone buttons on the interface. You will then see a large red circle on the map, indicating the area of your new district. It's important to note that while farming and forestry do not cause air pollution, they can produce noise pollution, so ensure these districts are not too close to residential areas.
When creating a specialized district, you must first zone an area of industry within the district with your chosen specialization. The zoned area should partially cover the correct natural resource, and you should ensure you have enough workers with the right education level. Farming and forestry industries prefer a workforce with low education levels. Provide the necessary services to these industries, including power, water, crime protection, and fire protection.
In addition to creating specialized districts, you can also reduce pollution by placing industrial zones away from residential areas. Upgraded industrial buildings also tend to produce less pollution than their level one versions, so consider allowing your regular industrial buildings to upgrade over time.
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Use water treatment plants
Water treatment plants are an effective way to reduce pollution in Cities: Skylines. While they don't eliminate pollution entirely, they significantly reduce its impact on the environment and your citizens' health. Here are some strategies to use water treatment plants effectively:
- Understand the Basics: Water treatment plants are designed to treat sewage and reduce water pollution. They don't eliminate pollution completely, but they can purify up to 85% of sewage pollution. This helps prevent your citizens from getting sick and keeps the environment relatively cleaner.
- Placement and Pumps: Ensure that your water treatment plants are placed near a water source, such as lakes or rivers, which are abundant in most maps. If there is no natural water flow, consider using water towers as a temporary source of non-polluted drinking water. Be cautious when connecting pumps to the city water grid; it's better to create a separate circle to avoid drawing polluted water into the system.
- Pollution Management: Wastewater needs to be disposed of, and the recommended method is to use water drain pipes to dump it into a river. Ensure that the sewage output goes downstream from the city's water pumping stations to minimize the impact on your citizens' health.
- Upgrades and DLCs: Upgrading your water treatment plants can further reduce pollution. The Sunset Harbor DLC, for example, offers inland and eco inland plants. The eco inland plants are more environmentally friendly. Additionally, the Green Cities DLC includes pollution-less water services, providing eco-friendly water treatment plants.
- Specialized Industries: While managing water pollution, consider also reducing industrial noise pollution. Farming and forestry industries produce less noise pollution than high-density commercial and industrial zones. By specializing your districts in these industries, you can balance the demand for industry while minimizing noise pollution.
- Monitor and Adapt: Keep a close eye on pollution levels and be prepared to adapt your strategies. If pollution persists or spreads, consider relocating or adding more water treatment plants. The pollution should eventually dissipate, but it may take some time.
By following these strategies, you can effectively utilize water treatment plants to reduce pollution and create a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing city in Cities: Skylines.
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Frequently asked questions
Place industrial zones away from residential zones. You can also create districts and assign them to industries that don't cause pollution, such as farming and forestry.
Avoid creating industrial zones near the city centre. If ground pollution builds up, you may need to remove the affected area and rebuild it on the outskirts of your city.
Build a wastewater treatment plant. Ensure that sewage output goes downstream from the city's water pumping stations.
Noise pollution. Low-density commercial zones create a small amount of noise pollution, while high-density commercial and industrial zones create a lot. Keep these zones away from residential areas to keep citizens happy.
