Oxygen Not Included: Purifying Polluted Water

Polluted Water is a common issue in the space-colony simulation game *Oxygen Not Included*. It is a breeding ground for bacteria and can cause negative effects on the player's Duplicants, such as adding stress or causing sickness. It is produced by various sources, including by-products of certain amenities and as a result of Duplicants' stress-vomiting. While it has some uses, such as a coolant or for irrigation, it is important to manage it effectively to prevent it from spreading and causing further issues. This includes methods such as using a Bottle Emptier, creating a basin for storage, or purifying it into regular water.

Polluted water can be used for irrigation and cooling

Polluted water is a common issue in the game Oxygen Not Included, and it has several negative consequences. It is a breeding ground for bacteria, can make Duplicants sick, and pollutes clean water. It also emits Polluted Oxygen, even in a vacuum, which can cause issues if it spreads to your oxygen supply. However, despite its negative aspects, polluted water can indeed be used for both irrigation and cooling purposes, as outlined below.

Irrigation

Polluted water is required for the irrigation of certain plants. For example, Pincha Pepper domestic growth requires 35 kg/cycle of polluted water, while Thimble Reed domestic growth needs 160 kg/cycle. Polluted water can be dropped into clean water tanks without worry, as long as it does not contain germs, which will contaminate the clean water.

Cooling

Polluted water is a better coolant than pure water due to its wider temperature range. This is caused by the combination of two phenomena: boiling-point elevation and freezing-point depression. This property of polluted water can be especially useful for cooling in early-game scenarios.

Managing Polluted Water

While polluted water has its uses, it is important to manage it effectively to prevent negative consequences. One method is to use a Bottle Emptier to collect polluted water from Wash Basins and store it in a hole where CO2 accumulates. The CO2 inhibits the growth of microbes, allowing safe storage. Another approach is to pump polluted water into the same reservoir as your clean water. Since polluted water sinks to the bottom, placing your pump near the surface will ensure that only clean water is drawn.

It can be purified into clean water

Polluted water is a common problem in Oxygen Not Included, and it can have negative effects on your Duplicants and your clean water supply. While it may seem like a nuisance, polluted water is a useful resource and can be managed effectively to prevent issues. One of the key ways to deal with polluted water is to purify it into clean water.

To purify polluted water, you can use a Water Sieve. By piping polluted water into the Water Sieve, it can be filtered and transformed into regular water. The process is straightforward: for every 5 kg/s of polluted water and 1 kg/s of sand or regolith, you will get 5 kg/s of clean water and 200 g/s of polluted dirt as a byproduct. This polluted dirt can be composted, fed to hatches or pokeshell, or stored underwater to prevent it from emitting polluted oxygen.

It is important to note that while the Water Sieve effectively purifies the water, it does not remove any germs or infections present in the polluted water. To address this issue, you can utilise pumps, filters, an adequate energy setup, and tepidisers to sanitise your water supply. Additionally, air cleaning technology is necessary to prevent polluted air from re-contaminating your clean water.

Another method to manage polluted water is to store it safely. By inhibiting the growth of microbes, you can prevent the spread of pollution. One way to do this is by using a Bottle Emptier to collect polluted water from Wash Basins and directing it into a hole where CO2 accumulates. The heavy CO2 will settle on top of the polluted water, preventing contact with oxygen and subsequent pollution of your oxygen supply.

While polluted water can be a challenge, with proper management and the use of Water Sieves, you can effectively purify it into clean water and make use of the byproducts, such as polluted dirt, to benefit your colony in Oxygen Not Included.

Polluted water can be used to grow plants

Polluted water is a common issue in the game Oxygen Not Included. It is created when duplicants do not reach a toilet in time, or through stress-vomiting. It can also be a by-product of certain amenities and machinery, such as lavatories, showers, and algae distillers. This type of water has negative effects on the duplicants, adding to their stress and potentially making them sick if they come into contact with it. It is also a breeding ground for bacteria and can infect clean water sources, leading to contamination.

Despite its negative aspects, polluted water has its uses. It serves as a better coolant than pure water due to its wider temperature range. Polluted oxygen emission, while undesirable, can be filtered and converted into pure oxygen. Additionally, polluted water is essential for irrigating specific plants. For example, Pincha Pepper, Thimble Reed, Bog Bucket, and Arbor Tree require polluted water for their growth. The water can be purified using a Water Sieve, although this process does not eliminate any germs or bacteria present in the water.

To manage polluted water, players can employ several strategies. One method is to use a Bottle Emptier to transfer the polluted water from wash basins to an area where CO2 accumulates. The lack of contact with oxygen prevents the spread of polluted oxygen and inhibits microbial growth, allowing for safe storage. Another strategy involves creating a separate basin with a bottle emptier and an airlock to contain the polluted oxygen. It is worth noting that a layer of clean water on top of polluted water can help prevent the generation of polluted oxygen.

While polluted water can be a challenge, it also presents opportunities for resourcefulness. Players can utilise it for irrigation, cooling, and oxygen generation while exploring creative ways to manage and store it effectively.

Polluted water can be converted into fertiliser

Polluted water is a common issue in the game Oxygen Not Included. It is a breeding ground for bacteria, and it will make your Duplicants sick and stressed. It is also known to pollute clean water sources and emit polluted oxygen over time. However, despite its negative effects, polluted water can be managed and even utilised as a valuable resource.

One innovative way to deal with polluted water is by converting it into fertiliser. This process involves using a Fertilizer Synthesizer or a Fertilizer maker to combine polluted water with dirt and phosphorite. The result is fertiliser, which can be used to enhance plant growth, and a small amount of natural gas as a byproduct. This method not only helps dispose of polluted water but also provides a useful resource for your plants.

The fertiliser produced from polluted water is particularly beneficial for plants that require a lot of water. By using fertiliser, you can double the growth rate of certain plants for one cycle, making it a great option for plants with long maturation times. This not only improves the efficiency of your farm but also saves water, as fertilised plants do not consume more resources.

While the natural gas produced as a byproduct may not be immediately useful, it can be stored for later use. Additionally, it's important to ensure a renewable source of clean water before utilising polluted water for fertiliser. This can be achieved through various methods, such as using a Water Sieve to purify polluted water or collecting water from geysers.

Converting polluted water into fertiliser is just one of the many ways to manage this nuisance in Oxygen Not Included. By finding creative solutions, players can turn a problem into an advantage and improve the sustainability of their base.

Dumping polluted water into space

Polluted Water is a common issue in the Oxygen Not Included game, and it can be a challenge to manage. While it has some uses, such as a coolant and for irrigation, it is important to prevent it from contaminating clean water supplies and causing negative effects on Duplicants.

One method to deal with polluted water is to contain and store it. This can be achieved by using a Bottle Emptier to collect the water from Wash Basins and then storing it in a hole where CO2 accumulates. The CO2 inhibits the growth of microbes, preventing the spread of pollution to the oxygen supply. However, this method does not address the issue of limited clean water. Another containment strategy is to pump polluted water into the same reservoir as clean water, as the polluted water will sink to the bottom, allowing a pump placed near the surface to draw clean water without issue.

Another approach to managing polluted water is to convert it into other resources. Polluted water can be purified into regular water using a Water Sieve, although this process does not remove germs. Additionally, polluted water can be boiled into steam to produce a small amount of dirt.

In the mid to late game, players can consider using space exposure to get rid of polluted water. By exposing certain tiles to space, the polluted water can be slowly destroyed. However, this method requires pumping the liquid to the exposed tiles, as it will not evaporate on its own due to low pressure. It's important to note that space exposure only affects the specific tile it is applied to, so players will need to strategically plan the placement of their pipes and pumps.

While dumping polluted water into space is an option, it is not the most efficient method. Players should consider combining it with other strategies, such as using gas filters to target specific gases for removal or taking advantage of the properties of CO2 to inhibit the growth of microbes and safely store polluted water.

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