Use a Testing Strip on the Water Container
Take an unused testing strip out of the water-testing kit and apply it to the water container. Read the tested quality and percentage, then compare them with the grade on the label. That is the basic check to make before buying suspicious water.
The documented player guide demonstrates this on a bottle. A jar holding the strips is the supply container, not the tool you apply as a whole.
The strip is used up afterward. Keep track of how many remain, and do not expect a previously used strip to keep testing new batches.
The official Probably Stolen Demo page confirms that the Water Merchant scenario starts with a testing and purification kit. The testing actions in this guide come from recorded playtest player experience and community reports.
Use AquaScan for a More Detailed Reading
The handheld AquaScan provides more information than a label. In the recorded guide, applying it to a container displays the actual quality, declared label, and the types of contamination in the water.
That breakdown is useful when deciding what to do next. Microbes call for a different treatment than heavy metals, and a water-quality number alone does not explain which tool will help.
Community reports also describe scanning an empty container first, then adding water and seeing the reading update. This can make a working pitcher easier to monitor as batches move through it.
The recorded player guide uses AquaScan without battery consumption. This is the water-analysis tool; do not confuse it with other scanners or assume every device called a scanner has the same power requirements.
Read the Actual Grade, Not Just the Label
| Information | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| Declared label | What the container claims to contain |
| Tested grade | The water's measured quality category |
| Purity percentage | The measured composition reading |
| Contaminant breakdown | What still needs treatment |
Recorded player trades show water sold under an inaccurate grade. Ghostwater and Base can also look similar, so appearance is a weak substitute for testing.
If a seller's claim genuinely disagrees with the result, use the game's challenge interaction while negotiating. The purpose is to identify a real discrepancy, not accuse every customer.
After UV treatment, filtration, mixing, or overnight purification, check the resulting batch again. Testing does not clean the water; it tells you whether the treatment worked and what remains.
Finally, set the sale label to match the tested grade. Changing the label does not change the liquid, and recorded player experience warns that customers can check quality too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I use the whole testing-kit jar?
The documented method takes out an individual strip and applies that strip to the water container.
Does a test strip purify the water?
No. Testing measures the water. Use the appropriate purification tool afterward if the reading shows contamination you want to remove.
Why does AquaScan help more than reading the label?
It shows the actual quality and contaminant information. The label is a declared grade and may be inaccurate.
Should I test again after purification?
Yes. Check the finished batch so you can see the resulting grade, identify remaining contaminants, and label it accurately for sale.