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Water is essential for survival. In Beyond, it is represented by five water types that are produced, stored and used through networks:
- Drinkable water
- Hot water
- Grey water
- Waste water
- Rain water (actually not a network per se) see below
Each type of water can exist in a network that is made of the following elements:
- Generator
- Storage
- Pump
- Pipes
- Dispenser
Water in a network has characteristics that are shared, and give the network its type:
- Waste level:
- None: the network has drinkable water
- Light: the network can be hot, grey or rain water
- Heavy: Waste water
- Tags : a list that indicates what the water contains like virus, bacteria, radioactivity, etc
- Temperature : water temperature in a network will slowly tend towards the average temperature of the network, based on where each elements is located and their insulation.
- This can lead to hot water being too cold to be used, or elements (and water) freezing
- Temperature must be calculated for all types of network (not just hot water) because it is needed to calculate whether or not pipes are damaged or destroyed by freezing.
Different water types can be used for different tasks :
- Drinking : drinkable water only
- Cleaning : drinkable or rain water, hot water makes it more efficient. Generates waste water.
- Hygiene : hot water. Generates grey water.
- Nature calls : any type except waste water. Generates waste water.
Water of one type can be turned into water of another type through various processes (mainly filtration):
- Rain water free of contaminants can be converted to drinkable water. (When the top of a rain water tank is scooped, this turns the rain water waste type from light to none, removing the "rain" tag)
- Grey water can be filtered to drinkable water through the use of grey water filters, which take time, space and energy
- Drinkable or rain water can be heated to be used as hot water
Note on hot water:
- Gas hot water systems do not have storage: water is heated up on demand
- Other hot water systems include gas/coal fired, solar, electric with a tank.
- Some systems are hybrid, like solar with an electric or gas booster
Generators
- Rain water is simply collected when it rains based on roof capacity, in that case the "generator" is simply a point linked to the roof's gutters. The environment & the scenario determines the waste level and tags of rain water. It will often be drinkable by remove the tag "rain" through the process of scooping.
Good article here: https://www.nationalpolyindustries.com.au/2018/06/14/calculating-the-amount-of-rainwater-capturable-from-your-roof/
- Most water generators are processors in the sense that they transform water of one type to another. Showers or baths turn hot water into grey water, toilets turn grey, rain or drinkable water into waste water, etc
- For most scenarios, a place starts with access to drinkable water from the outside world, which has a monthly cost. This access will most certainly be cut or reduced later in the game depending on the type of crisis that occurs.