Water Pipes — Build a Water Network in Project Zomboid

A nearby river is useful, but carrying water back to your shelter soon becomes a chore. Water Pipes lets you build the infrastructure to move it for you. Set up an electric pump, lay a pipeline, and supply buildings, storage barrels, and crops through a connected network.

The Build 42 edition is a complete redevelopment, bringing revised construction tools, additional features, and performance improvements. It supports both single-player and multiplayer.

Choose a source and start pumping

Place a pump beside a water tile or well, provide electricity, and switch it on. Pipes can then carry the water toward your base.

Rivers and lakes supply tainted water, while wells provide fresh water. Charcoal can be used to filter contaminated water into a clean supply.

From a single installation, you can expand toward several uses:

• running water for existing buildings;
• automatic refilling of rain barrels;
• irrigation for crops;
• multiple pumps feeding a shared network;
• separate branches with their own flow controls.

There is no pipe-length limit, allowing you to connect a distant source rather than build your shelter around one.

Plan the route

Pipe sections automatically connect and adjust their shape to neighbouring pieces. Branches divide the available flow, while joined lines combine it.

To supply a barrel or building, place a pipe beside it. Building connections have an important restriction: the structure must be an original map building. Player-built houses do not support this connection method.

Networks can also run between floors. For a vertical connection, place the upper-floor pipe first, followed by the section below it.

Distribute water where it is needed

Additional devices attach directly to existing pipes.

Valves let you shut off individual routes. They operate as fully open or fully closed controls. A closed branch consumes no water, leaving more flow available elsewhere.

Flow meters provide a way to inspect the supply through a pipe. Right-click an installed meter to check its reading.

Sprinklers handle crop watering automatically within an 8-tile radius. They currently affect crops only, so standing beneath one will not make your character’s clothing wet.

Maintenance and placement

Pumps lose efficiency as they wear down. Repairs restore their output, while damaged equipment may stop working or catch fire. Give the pumping station some distance from the inhabited part of your base.

Pipe placement also affects access: vehicles cannot drive through pipes. Keep entrances, parking areas, and frequently used roads clear when planning the network.

A sledgehammer is required to remove pumps and pipe sections.

Supported game versions

The supplied mod description lists:

• Build 42.20 Stable as the preferred version;
• Build 42.19 as another supported version.

Both solo worlds and multiplayer servers are supported.

Removing Water Pipes safely

Disabling the main mod on an existing save can prevent that world from loading correctly. The developer attributes this to the game losing building entity scripts that were previously present in the save.

An included companion mod, WaterpipesRemoved, provides a workaround for continuing the world after removing the main modification. Use it when uninstalling Water Pipes, and back up your save before making the change.