In Oxygen Not Included, managing your duplicants’ biological needs is just as important as managing food, air, and temperature. One often overlooked but essential facility in any colony is the lavatory. While it might seem like a small detail in the larger scheme of survival, a properly maintained lavatory system can make a huge difference in colony health, stress management, and overall sanitation. If neglected, it can quickly become a source of disease, polluted water, and morale issues. Understanding how lavatories work, how to build them efficiently, and how to deal with the waste they produce is a crucial part of base management in this intricate simulation game.
Understanding the Lavatory in Oxygen Not Included
The lavatory is a plumbing building that replaces the early-game outhouse. Unlike the outhouse, the lavatory requires a water input and an output pipe to function. It is far more hygienic, does not require manual cleaning with dirt, and helps reduce the spread of germs when used properly. However, it must be connected to a functional plumbing system, including clean water supply and a destination for polluted water output.
Lavatory vs Outhouse
Here are the key differences between a lavatory and an outhouse:
- Hygiene: Lavatories drastically reduce germ spread compared to outhouses.
- Automation: Lavatories require no manual cleaning and do not consume dirt.
- Water Use: Lavatories consume clean water and produce polluted water, requiring a working plumbing loop.
- Morale: Lavatories provide a better decor score and contribute positively to duplicants’ morale when part of a proper bathroom room setup.
Building an Effective Lavatory System
To get the most out of lavatories, you’ll need to construct an efficient closed-loop plumbing system that handles both clean and polluted water. A good setup ensures minimal manual intervention and helps keep your colony’s environment clean and germ-free.
Required Resources and Infrastructure
Before constructing lavatories, make sure you have:
- A steady supply of clean water (from a pitcher pump, water reservoir, or water sieve system).
- A system to handle polluted water output, such as a polluted water tank or a water sieve that recycles it.
- Plumbing infrastructure: liquid pipes, liquid pumps, valves, and optionally, liquid shutoffs.
Each lavatory consumes approximately 5 kg of clean water per use and outputs an equal amount of polluted water. This predictable ratio allows for effective recycling systems using water sieves and filtration mediums like sand.
Room Bonuses and Optimal Layout
When placed inside a designated bathroom room, lavatories can contribute to morale boosts for your duplicants. To qualify as a bathroom room, you’ll need to follow the room requirements found in the in-game room overlay.
Bathroom Room Requirements
- Minimum size: 12 tiles
- Maximum size: 64 tiles
- Must contain: 1 toilet (lavatory or outhouse)
- Must contain: 1 wash station (sink or wash basin)
- No industrial machinery inside
Meeting these requirements will grant all duplicants who use the room a morale bonus, making it highly beneficial for stress management in medium to late-game colonies.
Recommended Layout Tips
- Place sinks directly before lavatories so duplicants always wash after use.
- Use liquid valves or shutoffs to balance water pressure in your plumbing system.
- Separate input and output pipes to prevent contamination.
Water Recycling and Filtration
One of the best ways to sustain lavatories without constant manual refill is to implement a water recycling loop using a water sieve. This device allows you to take polluted water output from lavatories, clean it using filtration medium, and then reintroduce it as input water.
Setting Up a Water Sieve Loop
- Connect lavatory output pipes to a polluted water tank or directly to a water sieve.
- Ensure the water sieve is continuously supplied with filtration medium like sand.
- Pipe the output of the water sieve to a clean water tank or directly to lavatory input.
Be careful with germ contamination. Even though sieved water is technically clean, it might still carry germs likeFood Poisoningif it wasn’t properly handled. Use germ sensors or chlorine sterilization methods if hygiene is a major concern.
Lavatory Germ Management
Lavatories, while cleaner than outhouses, still pose a germ risk if used without proper planning. Germs can accumulate in the polluted water output, especially in early-game colonies without filtration systems.
Best Practices for Germ Control
- Always pair lavatories with sinks. Position sinks so duplicants pass by them after using the toilet.
- Use disinfectant settings to schedule regular cleaning when necessary.
- Keep polluted water tanks sealed or use mesh tiles over them to prevent exposure.
- Isolate plumbing loops for lavatories from other water systems like food preparation areas.
Germs like Food Poisoning or Slimelung can severely disrupt your colony if allowed to spread, so investing in safe lavatory design early on pays off in the long run.
Dealing With Blockages and Plumbing Errors
Plumbing mishaps are common, especially when multiple lavatories and wash stations are connected to the same system. Pipes can back up, water can overflow, or lavatories may become non-functional.
Common Issues and Fixes
- Backflow: Use bridges to control flow direction and prevent circular paths.
- Insufficient output room: Ensure the polluted water has a valid endpoint; use a liquid vent in a tank if necessary.
- Clogged pipes: Install multiple output lines or storage tanks to buffer high-use periods.
Keep an eye on the plumbing overlay and be proactive with maintenance to avoid sanitation breakdowns during high duplicant activity.
When to Upgrade from Outhouses to Lavatories
Many players begin with outhouses since they are available at the start and require no plumbing. However, once a reliable water supply is secured, lavatories should be a top priority upgrade.
Signs It’s Time to Switch
- Your duplicants frequently experience stress or morale penalties.
- You’ve unlocked plumbed water systems and filtration methods.
- You want to reduce the need for dirt consumption and manual cleaning.
- Contaminated outhouse areas are becoming hotspots for germs.
Lavatories become especially useful in mid to late-game colonies where efficiency and hygiene are crucial for sustainability and long-term survival.
In Oxygen Not Included, lavatories are more than just a convenience they are a critical part of colony infrastructure. By understanding their mechanics, building an efficient plumbing system, managing germs, and leveraging water recycling, players can ensure a clean and sustainable hygiene system for their duplicants. A well-designed lavatory setup not only prevents disease but also contributes to colony morale and automation, making it a foundational system for any successful base. Investing in proper lavatory planning early on will pay dividends as your colony expands and faces more complex challenges.