Use your favourite features in-game with our Desktop AppIn Project Zomboid, water and electricity are essential during the early game, but they won’t remain available forever. Under the default settings, both utilities will shut off within the first 30 days, and because they shut off separately, you may lose one before the other.
This guide will explain how to prepare for both shutoffs, restore electricity with generators and secure a renewable source of safe water in Build 42.20.
Once the power shuts off, lights, refrigerators, freezers, electric ovens and petrol station pumps will stop working. Perishable food will also begin spoiling much faster, so eat fresh and refrigerated food first while saving canned and dried food for later.
A generator is the easiest way to restore power to your base. Generators most commonly appear in garages, sheds, warehouses and self-storage units. Good places to search include the storage facility southwest of Riverside, the warehouses and storage units around southern Muldraugh, residential garages throughout Rosewood and the storage units outside West Point. Spawns are random, so a generator is not guaranteed at any specific location.
Once you find one, mark it on your map and return with a vehicle, as generators are extremely heavy.
To operate a generator in Build 42.20, you must meet one of these requirements:
You will also need petrol, which can be stored in suitable fuel containers or siphoned from vehicles with a hose.
Generators must always be operated outside. Running one inside an enclosed building produces dangerous fumes that can quickly kill your character. Place it outdoors but close enough to power the appliances inside your base.
Once your generator is running:
Refrigerators and freezers should be your main priority because they allow you to preserve fresh food. You can then power lights and electric cooking equipment when needed.
Petrol station pumps require electricity, meaning you cannot use them normally after the power shuts off. A useful long-term strategy is to keep a second generator at a petrol station.
Bring enough petrol to start the generator, connect it near the pumps and activate it whenever you need fuel. You can then refill your containers before switching the generator off again.
Electricity is useful but not essential for survival. If you cannot find a generator, use flashlights or lanterns for light and cook with campfires, barbecues or antique ovens. Canned food and Build 42’s different food preservation methods can also reduce your dependence on refrigeration.
When the water shuts off, sinks, toilets, baths and showers will no longer have an unlimited supply. However, most fixtures retain a small amount of water that can still be collected. Search nearby kitchens and bathrooms with empty containers to drain this remaining water. This should give you enough time to establish a renewable supply.
While the taps are still working, fill any suitable containers you find and store them at your base. Useful items include:
Keep several filled bottles ready for loot runs and save your larger containers for cooking and emergencies.
Rain collectors provide a renewable source of water after the shutoff. In Build 42.20, the small Rain Collector Crate requires Woodwork Level 3, while the larger Rain Collector Barrel requires Woodwork Level 5.
Both versions require planks, nails and either garbage bags or a tarp. Place them outside on a tile exposed to the sky so they can collect water whenever it rains.
Rainwater is unsafe to consume directly. Boil it in a suitable container or use Water Purification Tablets before drinking it. Untreated water can still be used for watering crops and cleaning, allowing you to save purified water for drinking and cooking.
You can also collect water from rivers, lakes and other natural sources, but this must also be treated before consumption.
Rain collectors can be plumbed into compatible indoor fixtures using a Pipe Wrench. Place the collector outdoors on the floor above the sink or other fixture you want to connect.
Plumbing makes the water easier to access, but you should not assume that it automatically makes every water mixture safe. Check whether the water is marked as unsafe or tainted and purify it when necessary.
Build and test your plumbing system before your stored water runs out. This gives you time to correct its placement or collect additional supplies if the fixture does not connect properly.
Losing water and electricity is an important turning point in Project Zomboid, but it does not need to end your run. Secure a generator and petrol for essential appliances, then establish rain collectors or access to a natural water source. Once both systems are prepared, your base can continue operating long after the utilities disappear.
