Water
The lifeblood of the colony, flowing from icy depths to steaming vents.
Water is the most ubiquitous and vital fluid resource found throughout the Oxygen Not Included universe, serving as the primary source of hydration for Duplicants and a critical component in nearly every survival process. While it flows freely in oceans, rivers, and underground aquifers, its state changes dramatically based on temperature, freezing into solid ice blocks or boiling into steam vapor if not carefully managed within the colony's infrastructure.
- Primary Sources
- Oceans, Rivers, Ice Floes, Rain
- Density
- Low (floats on Oil and Lava)
- Key Uses
- Hydration, Cooling, Hydroponics, Electrolysis
Lore & Background
The history of Duplicant survival is written in the management of water. Early colonizers often struggled with the 'freezing death' cycle, where their drinking supplies turned into solid blocks they could not consume until thawed by hand or machine. Conversely, uncontrolled geothermal vents have boiled away entire reservoirs, leaving colonies dehydrated and desperate. Mastery over water—pumping it, filtering it, freezing it for insulation, or heating it for steam turbines—is the defining skill that separates a thriving colony from a failed experiment.
In Their Own Story
Dup-72 watched the droplet form on the condenser pipe, trembling in the -40°C air of the lower cavern. It fell with a soft *plip* into the collection bucket below, joining hundreds of others gathered for the day's ration. Outside the thick glass, the ocean stretched endlessly, a dark, frozen expanse that hid secrets beneath its ice crust. 'Just one more liter,' she whispered to herself, checking her hydration bar. In this world, every drop was a promise of tomorrow.
Reader's Guide
Water is found in vast quantities in Ocean biomes and as Rain in the surface layers, though it often mixes with toxic sludge or saltwater requiring filtration. In the Deep Crust, water exists primarily as Ice Floes or pressurized Aquifers. These sources are critical for cooling but pose a freezing hazard to Duplicants if exposed directly without insulation. Colonists must use pumps with thermal buffers or insulate pipes to prevent blockages from ice or pressure explosions from steam. Extraction methods vary by state: Liquid can be pumped directly, Ice requires a Melter or manual thawing, and Steam is harvested via vents for power generation before condensing back into water.
Did You Know?
- Water is less dense than oil and lava, meaning it will float on top of these heavier fluids if they mix in the same container.
- When water freezes into ice, it expands slightly, which can be used strategically to block gas flow or create structural barriers.
- Steam generated from boiling water carries heat energy that can be harnessed by Steam Turbines to generate electricity for the colony.
More in Biomes & Resources
Elsewhere in the Oxygen Not Included universe
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