Skip to Content

How to Get Water in The Forest (Ultimate Guide)

How to Get Water in The Forest (Ultimate Guide)

The Forest is a survival action horror game that took a new spin on survival horror with an in-depth resource, supplies, and weapons crafting system. You have to make your way through every day and night in the Forest and for that, you need to get your hands on some water to quench your thirst. So, here’s the ultimate guide on how to get water in the Forest.

There are three different ways to get water in the Forest. First, drinking water directly from fresh but polluted pools of water. Second, you can boil polluted or salt water in an Old Pot. Finally, you can collect rainwater or snow water in a water collector. The water can be carried in a hand-crafted waterskin to keep water on your person.

As you get off the plane and make your way to the peninsula in the Forest, you might be wondering what you have to do next. And you’re bound to focus on that thirst meter pretty soon, which means the first thing in order is to find a freshwater source.

Before you start drinking from any pool of water, here’s what you need to know about some different types of water in the Forest.

Water Sources in The Forest

Salt Water: Quite obviously, salt water is undrinkable in the name and you’ll find it in streams and the ocean.

Freshwater: Freshwater is water that can be used to quench your thirst safely. But, you’ll either have to boil it in an old pot or gather it using a water collector.

Polluted Water: Polluted water can substitute freshwater but carries a 20 percent risk of sickness and scrapes off a tiny bit of your health.

Building a camp near a water source is pretty vital to increasing your survival rate in the Forest. You’ll gain access to a consistent water source and be allowed to escape mutants if they’re hot on your tail.

Pools of water on the peninsula can also be a vital source of food as you’ll usually come across fish in ponds and turtles that spawn frequently along the coastline.

While it’s hard to come across the old pot or craft a waterskin early in the game, you can still drink from polluted water sources but at the cost of a bit of health.

How to Collect Freshwater in The Forest

Old Pot

The Forest How to Get Wate
The Old Pot found across the Peninsula in the Forest

The Old Pot is the go-to option for all your freshwater needs. Simply equip the old pot and get close to a source of water and select the on-screen prompt to gather water. Once you’ve gathered enough water, set it on a campfire and let it boil for around 30 seconds. And voila! You now have access to clean drinkable water. The old pot can also be used to craft a sap collector, but you’ll lose your pot doing so.

You can easily come across the old pot in five different locations:

Location #1

Make your way to the Southwestern region of the Peninsula. When you spot the yacht, head northwest. On your way, you’ll find a tent with a campfire next to it. But beware, enemies will be patrolling nearby so you’ll have to fight tooth and nail for the pot or make a speedy escape.


Location #2

Go to the South beachside where the yacht is found. Make your way north until you find a small tent along with some sleeping bad. Next to a pile of bones, you’ll find the old pot.

Location #3

Head towards the south beachside where the yacht is found. Face northeast of this direction and you’ll eventually come across an old pot. The pot is found in a pile of sticks gathered in the center of large wooden cabins. Cannibals are found scouring this area so be on the lookout for them. 

Location #4

The location of the next pot is south of Geese Lake. It is found west of the Sinkhole. You’ll come across a filmmaker’s camp here and the old pot will be found resting on top of another campfire. This area tends to be pretty safe but enemies might be patrolling the area.

Location #5

Now that you’re aware of the Sinkhole, head toward the South of it. There, you’ll find a small camping area that’s easy to miss. The old pot is located near the tents.

Waterskins

How to Get Water in the Forest
Waterskins can be crafted with some deer skin and rope in the Forest.

In addition to the old pot, water skins are vital for quenching your thirst on the go. You can craft a waterskin after hunting your first few deer. You can pretty much gather water from lakes or ponds, but we’d suggest you fill it up with water from an old pot or a water collector. Waterskins store enough water to fill your thirst gauge twice.

How to get a Waterskin in the Forest

Recipe:

  • 2 Deer Skin
  • 1 Rope

To find deer skin, navigate the higher-density forest areas of the Peninsula found in the Center and South. Use a bow and arrow and take out deer from a safe distance. Trap the deer at the edge of a cliff or water source to make things easier and put them out of their misery.

The rope is found in cannibal safe havens and caves. If you want to get your hands on rope early in the game, traverse across to the yacht where you can collect three ropes. Alternatively, you can craft rope by using 7 pieces of cloth.

Water Collectors

How to Get Water in the Forest
A water collector made from a turtle shell and sticks.

Water Collectors can come in handy to turn any specific part of the peninsula into a permanent abode. Just craft a few water collectors near your shelter and you won’t have to search for freshwater anymore. Then simply collect the water in a waterskin and you’re good to go. Your safest bet is to fill the waterskin instead of drinking directly from the collector as this method allows for more thirst recovery while depleting less of your water supply.

How to Find Aloe in The Forest

How to Make a Water Collector in the Forest

Recipe:

  • 1 Turtle Shell
  • 4 Sticks

You can gather turtle shells from the sea turtles that pop up along the coastline. You’ll find loads of turtles over at the southern beach where the yacht is found.

You can also build a base in the Mountain areas or the Tundra where it snows. Snow also helps fill water collectors.

You can make your way across the Tundra when it snows or rains as cannibals tend to become less aggressive. But make sure to gear up to prevent any debilitating status effects.

Conclusion

And that’s pretty much it on how to get water in the Forest. You can use an old pot to boil polluted or salt water, collect fresh rain or snow water in water collectors and take them on the go with water collectors. And with that, you won’t be having to worry about your thirst gauge.

All you have to do is watch out for the tens of other resources, status effects, and enemies now. But we’ll keep you informed.