Collecting and storing water is crucial in Project Zomboid to guarantee survival during the apocalypse. Rain collector barrels, also known as rainwater collectors, are primary sources of water to help extend your life throughout a power outage or water your plants. In this post, we’ll guide you through the different functions of the rainwater collector in Project Zomboid and teach you how to use it effectively.

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How to Use the Rainwater Collector in Project Zomboid

The rainwater collector is one of the most significant reasons why you should level up your carpentry skill. It provides a high-capacity water container for collecting and storing rainwater, which is automatically refilled by the rain.

Crafting the Rainwater Collector

Contrary to other items in the game, the rainwater collector isn’t found in the world and must be crafted. There are two types of rainwater collectors in Project Zomboid: small and large rainwater collectors. You can craft these using a hammer, planks, nails, and garbage bags. Please refer to the table below to see the materials needed to make each type of rain collector:

Check out this post for a step-by-step guide on how to make a rainwater collector.

Using the Rainwater Collector

Once you have crafted the rainwater collector, you should learn how to use it effectively.

1. Storing Water

The primary function of the rainwater collector is to collect and store rainwater. Place the collector outside in the backyard, near the crops, or on the rooftop to allow for automatic filling of the container. Also, you can fill in water manually by right-clicking and selecting “Add Water From Item” => “<Item That Holds Water”.

The maximum capacity of a rainwater collector will depend on the size. Small rainwater collectors can hold a maximum of 160 units, while large rainwater collectors can hold 400 units. Rainwater collectors only store water and not any other liquids, such as bleach.

To check the rainwater collector’s capacity, right-click on it and move the cursor to the “Rain Collector Barrel” option to get a pop-up indicating the current amount of water it holds.

2. Drinking Water Directly

If the rain collector barrel contains water, you can drink it directly by right-clicking on it and selecting “Drink”. Note that if the water has been taken from sources such as ponds, lakes, or rain, it may be contaminated, and you should boil it first to purify it.

3. Filling Water Containers

You can use the stored water from the rainwater collector to water crops, cook, wash clothing, or purify bandages by right-clicking on the collector and selecting “Fill” => “Fill All” or specifically selecting the containers.

4. Picking Up, Moving, Rotating, and Disassembling

You can pick up, move, rotate, or disassemble the rain collector barrel just like any other piece of furniture. This function is activated by clicking on the cabinet icon located on the left side of the screen. Then move the green square to the rain collector barrel to apply the action.

5. Destroying (Debug Mode Only)

You can right-click on the rainwater collector and select “Destroy” to get rid of it. Using this feature will cause you to lose all materials and unit of water stored, which makes it unsuitable. Therefore, it’s recommended that you disassemble the collector to retrieve the materials and unit of water stored.

That’s all you need to know about the rainwater collector in Project Zomboid. Learn how to make it, use it to store, drink, and fill water.

Do you have any suggestions or tips you would like to share about using the rainwater collector in Project Zomboid? Let us know in the comment section below.