Use the main Water guide for pools, leaks, flow, evaporation, and ordinary sources. If the renewal loop works but transport does not, follow the Pump, Pipe, and Liquid Vent checks.
Renewable Water
| Method | Evidence | What it adds | Unknown boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lumlings | Officially documented | A renewable Water source | Per-creature rate and exact geometry. |
| Cryoblaster → Snow | Officially documented | Snow can be generated indefinitely | Snow per minute and space efficiency. |
| Snow + heat → Steam → rain | Officially documented | A route back to captured Water | Stable net rate for a complete factory. |
| Trapped Steam | Officially documented | Can condense after 30 seconds without an upward path | Whether a specific enclosure has a positive net return. |
Build a documented renewal route
- Choose the renewable input
Use Lumlings or unlock the Cryoblaster for indefinitely generated Snow.
- Keep Snow separate
Give Snow a visible route so its conversion is not hidden inside a mixed pile.
- Apply heat in a controlled chamber
Snow can become Steam. Leave maintenance access and avoid claiming a fixed conversion rate.
- Guide or contain Steam
Steam can rise to the sky and return as rain; trapped Steam also has a documented 30-second condensation case.
- Capture the return
Use a broad basin and keep consumers paused while checking whether Water returns.
- Connect consumers last
Only start Wet Sand or Wet Seed production after the renewal path is observable.
Duplication or restart-sensitive exploit
A loop that begins with an existing Water pool and appears to return more Water is a different claim. Current community explanations include true multiplication, delayed rain returning from a buffer, off-screen simulation effects, and a glitch that stops after restart. Those explanations conflict, so no universal multiplier or stable layout belongs here.
Will it survive a reload?
Check before trusting an apparent gain
- Isolate the loop
Pause Wet Sand, Wet Seed, and every other Water consumer.
- Mark the starting level
Use basin geometry, not a short visual impression of moving droplets.
- Let every Steam and rain cycle finish
Delayed return can look like new production.
- Save and reload
Repeat the same observation after restart; one current report failed at this step.
- Classify the result honestly
If the gain disappears or cannot be repeated, treat it as version-sensitive rather than renewable supply.
| Symptom | Likely boundary | First check |
|---|---|---|
| Snow never becomes Steam | Heat does not reach the Snow path. | Separate the chamber and confirm the heat source. |
| Steam rises but no Water is captured | Rain falls outside the basin. | Open or redirect the vertical route and widen the catch area. |
| Water gain disappears after restart | Restart-sensitive simulation or glitch. | Stop treating the loop as a supply source. |
| The level falls under load | Consumers exceed the undocumented renewal rate. | Pause consumers and observe the source alone. |
| A closed chamber seems inconsistent | Condensation timing and moving Steam are hard to read. | Allow more than 30 seconds and inspect for an upward escape path. |
Update record
- 2026-08-22 — Restored the independent URL with a self-canonical page and separated documented renewable sources from restart-sensitive duplication reports.
Frequently asked questions
Is infinite Water an official Sandustry mechanic?
The official Water and Cryoblaster pages document renewable sources: Lumlings and indefinitely generated Snow that can become Steam and rain. They do not support every closed-loop duplication layout shown by players.
Will a Water duplication setup survive a reload?
There is no safe general promise. One current community post withdrew its claim after the apparent gain stopped on restart, and other reports disagree about buffered rain and multiplication. Recheck any gain after saving and reloading.
Does trapped Steam always need open sky?
Steam reaching the sky returns as rain. The current Steam page also documents condensation after 30 seconds when Steam cannot find a route upward, but that does not establish a universal net Water gain.