Test, treat and label the finished water
To make low-quality water drinkable and saleable in Probably Stolen, test it, treat its contaminants, then bottle and label the finished water to match its actual grade. Aim for Basewater or better to meet the drinking threshold, and check the output before putting it up for sale.
The demo's Water Merchant scenario starts with a water testing and purification kit. The full game is planned for October 28, 2026, with Water Merchant also announced as a starting scenario. The handling tips identified below as playtest advice come from the earlier playable build.
Plan the batch before buying
Scan offered water before agreeing to a price. Ghostwater and Basewater can look almost identical, so appearance alone can leave you paying for the wrong grade. Decide whether you want a quick Basewater batch, a filter finish toward High-Quality Water, or a longer machine purification route.
Open and preview containers and machines before buying them. Keep enough suitable bottles or jugs available for the finished batch, alongside the tools you intend to use. Buy the water before applying UV treatment: the demo prevents the UV filter from working on unowned items.
Identify the grade and its contaminants
Use a Water Testing Strip on a liquid container to reveal its tested quality and purity, then compare that result with its declared label. AquaScan adds the contaminant breakdown, helping you choose treatment. Check the named grade as well as the percentage before purchasing, drinking or relabeling water.
| Water grade | Purity |
|---|---|
| Pure Water | 99.9% or higher |
| High-Quality Water | 99% to below 99.9% |
| Basewater | 98% to below 99% |
| Ghostwater | 96% to below 98% |
| Rustwater | 90% to below 96% |
| Gutterflow | Below 90% |
Basewater and better meet the drinking threshold. A qualifying grade can still contain contaminants, so read the breakdown when choosing further treatment. Purification Tablets address microbes and some chemical contaminants, while the ultraviolet lamp removes microbes and leaves other contaminants for additional treatment.
Process a small batch with handheld tools
This sequence follows the older playtest's handheld treatment route. Choose the treatments that fit your scan, and keep checking the resulting grade as you work. In the demo, apply UV treatment only after you own the water.
Scan the treated water again with AquaScan. Use the new result to decide its finished grade before changing its label or filling sale bottles.Playing this video connects to YouTube.
Run larger batches with machines and Energy Cells
Powered purification gives you another route for processing batches. Machines use Energy Cells, and installed modules affect production, purity and power consumption. Check the actual output before deciding that a batch has reached your target grade.
A Recharger refills an Energy Cell overnight, while a PowerBloc charges adjacent cells. Both charging methods depend on the nightly Power Service being paid; an unpaid bill cuts power. Joe Wild's Power Line Hijack Service makes the nightly service free.
Let the powered purifier run overnight. The demonstrated setup produces Pure Water, which you should test before matching the finished label.Playing this video connects to YouTube.
Bottle, verify and sell the correct grade
- Fill a suitable bottle or printed container with the finished water. Electronic-part upgrades to the Bottle Printer unlock normal and large bottle printing for your packaging needs.
- Inspect the filled container's purity and volume. Make this your final check of what you are offering, especially when handling several batches with different grades.
- Match the water-quality label to the final test result. A Ghostwater batch should retain that grade until further treatment changes it; labeling it as Basewater can create criminal exposure.
Keep Ghostwater awaiting treatment apart from your finished sale stock. Treat a label as something to verify whenever you pick up a container. Before completing a sale, make sure the bottle in your hand is the batch you intended to offer.