Contamination Sensor

The Contamination Sensor detects the level of Badwater contamination in the fluid beneath it, outputting a signal when contamination exceeds or falls below a configurable percentage threshold. This sensor is essential for managing the toxic Badwater that periodically floods maps in Timberborn, allowing automated responses to contamination events. It costs 200 Science Points to unlock and plays a critical role in protecting your colony's water supply from pollution.

The Contamination Sensor's output connects to the same range of automation components as other sensors: Floodgates, Fill Valves, Throttling Valves, Relays, and logic gates. A typical defensive circuit connects a Contamination Sensor (set to greater than 5%) to a Relay that controls Fill Valves on your fresh water intake, automatically shutting off the supply when contamination is detected. This prevents toxic water from entering your clean water storage and poisoning your beavers. You can also route the signal to a Speaker for an audio alert or an Indicator for a visual warning.

On maps with frequent Badwater events, deploying Contamination Sensors at every water intake point is strongly recommended. Pair them with Depth Sensors to create circuits that manage both water quantity and quality simultaneously. For example, a circuit using an AND Gate that requires both 'contamination less than 5%' and 'depth greater than 1.0 meter' ensures that only clean, sufficiently deep water is allowed through your intake system. Contamination Sensors are also useful for monitoring Badwater collection systems, triggering the Centrifuge or Explosives Factory to begin processing when enough contaminated water has accumulated. At 200 Science Points, they are an indispensable investment for colony safety.