Test First, Then Choose the Treatment
Probably Stolen water purification works best when you know what is contaminating the batch. Test the water, remove what your quick tools can handle, and use a powered purifier for the contamination that remains. A higher label alone does not mean the water has become cleaner.
The methods below are documented playtest player experience and community reports. The official Demo page confirms that its Water Merchant start includes a testing and purification kit; older playtest guides may begin through Joe Wild's water-trading progression instead.
Use a testing strip on the container to check the measured quality against the declared grade. For more detailed diagnosis, player guides use the AquaScan to display the contaminant breakdown. That distinction helps avoid spending the wrong consumable on the wrong problem.
What Each Tool Actually Does
| Tool or treatment | Supported role | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|
| UV tool | Removing microbes | Other contaminants remain |
| Purification tablets | Removing microbes and reducing some chemical contamination | Not an all-purpose route to Pure |
| Pitcher with a water filter | Quick filtration within the filter's scope | Heavy metals and chemicals can remain |
| MicroHydraTech purifier | Improving low-grade water to Base | Uses durability and does not directly produce Pure |
| Powered water purifier | Processing remaining contamination overnight | Needs energy, time, and appropriate machine settings |
The UV tool removes microbes; it does not clear the other contaminant categories. The recorded player guide applies it directly to a filled container without a battery charge.
Purification tablets are consumables. The same player guide describes partial chemical reduction as well as microbe removal, but demonstrates that a tablet does not turn arbitrary dirty water into Pure water.
Community reports identify heavy metals and chemicals as the important leftovers after ordinary pitcher filtration. A better measured result does not mean every contaminant has disappeared.
Cotton fabric appears in player experiments, but the recorded guide is uncertain about its effect in that build. Do not build your whole purification plan around an unverified claim that cotton removes a particular contaminant perfectly.
A Practical Processing Routine
Start with a measured reading. If microbes are present, apply UV and check again. Removing that category first can reduce the load on later treatment.
Use a pitcher filter where it can improve the remaining water. Watch filter condition: the documented player guide associates wear with the contamination it catches, so equally sized batches need not consume equal durability.
The documented MicroHydraTech use brings low-grade water to Base, rather than directly to Pure. It can be a quick early tool, but its durability is another cost to monitor.
For heavy metals, persistent chemicals, or a higher target grade, put the water into a powered purifier and provide a charged energy cell. Let it process overnight, then scan the result. Keep already-clean stock separate from untreated input so you know which batch still needs work.
Once the water reaches a grade you intend to sell, put it into suitable containers and update the declared label to match the tested result. Relabeling is the final description of the product, not a substitute for processing it.
Why Purification Can Stall
Community reports distinguish quality from processing performance. Quality affects the cleanliness limit the machine can reach; performance affects processing. More throughput cannot by itself remove a ceiling that is too low for your target.
Player observations also show smaller improvements as the water becomes cleaner. Do not assume the same tank will gain the same purity increase every night. The last improvement toward Pure can take much longer than the early improvement in dirty water.
If progress is disappointing, check:
- The battery has enough energy.
- The machine still contains the batch you meant to process.
- Filter durability has not run out.
- Remaining contamination matches the treatment.
- The purifier's quality setting supports your target.
Exact finishing times depend on the input and setup. A claim that every container reaches Pure in one night is not supported by these sources.
Pure is also not the only useful sales grade. Recorded player experience uses Base and High Quality water in trading, which can make a shorter processing cycle more practical than chasing the cleanest possible output.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does UV remove heavy metals?
No. Its documented role is removing microbes. Heavy-metal contamination needs a different treatment.
Can I use tablets instead of a purifier?
Tablets address microbes and some chemical contamination in the recorded guide. They do not replace every function of the powered purifier.
Why does filtered water still have contaminants?
Each treatment has a limited scope. Scan the remainder: heavy metals and chemicals are specifically reported as limitations of ordinary pitcher filtration.
Why does the last step toward Pure take so long?
Player reports describe diminishing progress as water becomes cleaner, along with a machine-quality ceiling. Check both the remaining contamination and whether the setup can reach the target grade.