Your HUD water/sec total is the best progress meter in Water Empire. This page maps observed milestones from long gameplay runs and pairs each band with storage and upgrade goals. Rates are session snapshots — patches can change exact numbers.
Observed ladder (AlmostDark run): 56 → 173 → 3,000 → 5,300 → 20,800 /sec after industrial install. Use it as a checkpoint list, not a speedrun timer.
Production Milestone Ladder
| Water/sec | Typical setup | Storage target | Next focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~1–20 | Tutorial wells / first pipes | Free 18K tower | Claim free tower |
| ~40–80 | Several windpipes + early pumps | 18K | Save for Pump Jack $12K |
| ~56 | Early milestone snapshot | 18K | Peak sells → Pump Jack / expand |
| ~173 | Multiple mid pipes / first jacks | 18K–80K | Plot $25K if slots full |
| ~3,000 | Strong mid base | 80K+ ($1.2M tower) | Replace 8/sec junk; purple tier |
| ~5,300 | Pre-industrial peak | 80K–400K | Reserve 2 slots for Industrial |
| ~20,800 | After Industrial install (recorded) | 400K–1.8M | Late $25M / $90M pumps |
Milestone values from AlmostDark $923M session narration. Your path may skip or reorder bands.
Per-Pump Rate Reference
| Pump | Rate | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traditional well | 1/sec | Tutorial | Stack early, replace later |
| Windmill pipe | 3–8/sec | Unconfirmed | Early bridge |
| Metal windpipe | 8/sec | Unconfirmed | Replace when purple unlocks |
| Pump Jack Water | 18/sec | $12,000 | Best early confirmed jump |
| Purple pump | ~750/sec | Unconfirmed | Best mid bulk ROI |
| High-tier row | ~2,000/sec | Unconfirmed | Late mid bridge |
| Industrial | High (2 slots) | Unconfirmed | Helped reach ~20.8K total |
| Advanced tiers | — | $6.5M / $25M / $90M / $15B | See tier list |
Fill-Time Estimates
Fill time (seconds) ≈ capacity ÷ water/sec. If fill time < ~120 seconds, prioritize storage before more pumps.
| Capacity | @ 18/sec | @ 173/sec | @ 750/sec | @ 5,300/sec |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18,000 | 16.7 min | 1.7 min | 24 sec | 3.4 sec |
| 80,000 | 74 min | 7.7 min | 1.8 min | 15 sec |
| 400,000 | 6.2 hr | 38.5 min | 8.9 min | 1.3 min |
| 1,800,000 | 27.8 hr | 2.9 hr | 40 min | 5.7 min |
Long AFK needs matching capacity — see AFK Guide.
Rough Peak Income (Full Dump)
At ~$9/unit peak (gameplay-recorded). Use the Sell Calculator for custom amounts.
| Full tank | Peak dump (~$9) | Trough dump (~$1) |
|---|---|---|
| 18,000 | $162,000 | $18,000 |
| 80,000 | $720,000 | $80,000 |
| 400,000 | $3,600,000 | $400,000 |
Higher water/sec only helps if you can hold for peak. Production without storage = forced trough sells.
What to Buy at Each Band
| If you're at… | Buy / do next |
|---|---|
| < 50/sec | Free tower → early pipes → Pump Jack ($12K) |
| 50–200/sec | Plot #1 ($25K) · replace wells · peak sells only |
| 200–3,000/sec | Storage Tower ($1.2M) · purple / mid pumps · layout 2-slot gap |
| 3,000–10,000/sec | Industrial when slots ready · Wooden 400K tank |
| 10,000+/sec | Late advanced pumps · Glass tanks · plot #2 ($175K) |
Detailed spend order: First-Hour Route · Upgrade Priority.
How to Track In-Game
- Read total water/sec from the HUD after each pump placement.
- Note fill time of your main tank — if < 2 minutes, stop adding pumps.
- After each milestone, reinvest on peak sells only (Market Trends).
- Keep layout ready for the next tier (Layout Guide).