Connect a staffed Water Pump to consumers through Water Pipes, and add connected storage. If water disappears at night, check whether stored water covers demand after the pump worker stops.
Based on the sources below. Planning suggestions are editorial guidance; this is not a claim of hands-on testing on the latest build.
Build a small, complete water system
Start with one pump, connected Water Pipe, storage and a consumer. The pump intake belongs in the sea; connect the network to its outlet. Inspect the connection at the correct height instead of assuming a pipe touching the model is connected.
Separate pumping from storage
A pump provides water while it operates. A Water Tank stores water for later use. Adding another consumer increases demand even when the system looked healthy before.
- Check that a worker is assigned to the pump.
- Verify the outlet is connected to the pipe network.
- Check tank levels before the evening.
- Inspect the consumer's actual water supply.
Plan for the evening rush
Bathing facilities can consume water while workers are off duty. Boilers can also continue drawing water. Observe the system at the time it fails: full tanks in the morning do not prove that the evening reserve is sufficient. Rain collection is a supplement, not a dependable substitute for pumping.
Leave space for the next network
Water and steam use separate pipes. Plan utility corridors with both in mind before surrounding the settlement with dense buildings. Our suggested troubleshooting sequence is pump, connection, storage, then demand. Fix the first failing step and observe a full day-and-night cycle before extending the network.
Sources & version notes
Game updates and difficulty settings can change behavior. Where sources disagree, this guide avoids unsupported exact values and points you to the current in-game panel.