Water Trading Manual

1. Grading

The quality of water is determined by its purity:

Grade	Meaning or value
Pure Water (99.9%+)	Safe to drink
High-Quality (99%-99.9%)	Safe to drink
Basewater (98%-99%)	Consume if necessary, prolonged use not advised
Ghostwater (96%-98%)	Unsafe and risky for human consumption
Rustwater (90%-96%)	Warning: Highly Toxic, Do No Consume
Gutterflow (90%-)	Warning: Highly Toxic, Do No Consume

WARNING: IF CONSUMED GUTTERFLOW, SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION

2. Identification

Water sold on the station may not be labeled correctly, whether intentionally or not. Always verify water quality before purchase and consumption.

A Water Testing Strip is a cheap and easy way to test the purity of water.

3. Purification

Water on the station can contains multiple types of contaminants. Each method of purification is effective against only certain types of contaminants.

If repeated attempts do not improve the water’s purity, your chosen purification method cannot remove the remaining contaminants in the water.

Water Purification Tablets can remove large amount of microbial contaminants and partially reduce chemical contaminants.

Water Filter: When installed inside a pitcher, it filters water as it is poured in.
It removes impurities, microplastics, and organic waste. Filters have limited durability.

Using Purification Tablets and a Water Filter together should result in Ghostwater, or even Basewater, depending on the initial purity.

To reach higher water purity, a dedicated Water Purifier with properly installed Modules is required.

Purifying Gutterflow using basic purification methods is not recommended, as it rapidly degrades Water Filter durability.

4. Types of Water

Pure Water (99.9%+)

Hard to procure even for those living on the Upper Levels. Incredibly expensive and used primarily in sensitive environments like Hospitals and Laboratories. In Upper Levels societies, offering pure water to guests demonstrates high social status.

High-Quality (99%-99.9%)

The standard on the Upper Levels. Safe for drinking, cooking, and most household uses, it is more accessible but still costly.

Basewater (98%-99%)

The standard for Lower Levels. Adequate for short-term use, but prolonged exposure can contribute to development of chronic disease.

Ghostwater (96%-98%)

Indistinguishable by eye from other higher quality water, yet unsafe to drink unfiltered. Ghostwater is most commonly used in farming and industry.
The sale of mislabeled Ghostwater is a common scam in the Lower Levels.

Rustwater (90%-96%)

Unsuitable for farming, and dangerous to drink.
Can be identified visually.

Gutterflow (90%-)

Heavily contaminated and toxic. Seek immediate medical attention if consumed.
Can be visually identified.

5. Common Water Trading Scams

Rustwater and Gutterflow

Rustwater and Gutterflow are harder to mislabel since they are visually distinguishable from other types of water by color.

Ghostwater

The sale of Ghostwater mislabeled as Basewater is a common scam in the Lower Levels. Selling large volume of mislabeled Ghostwater is a crime.

Customer Behaviour

Scavengers are typically too poor to carry a Water Testing Kit.
Citizens of the Lower Levels and Scavengers will usually not buy High Quality Water or Pure Water.
Tourists and Upper Level Citizens are often too oblivious to test the purity of the water they buy.
Customers requesting large amounts of water will typically carry a Water Testing Kit.

Related pages

• Probably Stolen water guide: grades, filters and purification
• Water Merchant