How to Fix Pipes That Do Nothing in Sandustry
I placed a run of pipe and nothing happens. I do not know whether I built it wrong or it is a bug.
The one thing everyone misses
A pipe is only the conduit. Placing pipe by itself will never move anything.
A working liquid run needs three parts:
| Part | Job |
|---|---|
| Pump block | Absorbs liquid into the network |
| Pipe | Carries it between the two ends |
| Vent block | Ejects the liquid at the destination |
If you have pipe but no pump, nothing enters the network. If you have pipe and a pump but no vent, nothing comes out the far end. This is the single most common source of “pipes are broken” reports on the Steam forums, and it is a build error rather than a bug.
A useful property while you are routing: pipes do not collide with other blocks, so you can run them through your existing structure rather than around it.
What pipes will not carry
This part is a real limitation, not a mistake on your side.
- Lava cannot be pumped. The word “liquid” in the description is misleading. The developer has acknowledged the confusion and confirmed that lava is meant to be transported by other means.
- Steam could not be pumped in the demo. Players described this as “super annoying”, and the developer said steam piping was in development, with steam collectable another way after a hotfix.
If you are trying to automate either of those, see moving lava and steam without pipes.
When a pipe that used to work stops
Check for steam trapped inside the pipe. Steam in the line blocks the water behind it, and the symptom looks exactly like a dead pump. Pull the steam out with the grabber tool and the water drains again.
Also note that pumps do not fully empty an area — players consistently report residual water no amount of pumping clears. If the last few pixels of water never leave, that is expected behaviour, not a broken build.
Checklist
- Pump block at the source.
- Vent block at the destination.
- Pipe connecting them.
- Water only — not lava, and not steam in the demo build.
- If it stalls, grabber the steam out of the pipe.
Frequently asked
Why does my pipe not move anything?
A pipe on its own does nothing. It is only the conduit. You need a pump block to absorb liquid at one end and a vent block to eject it at the other.
Can pipes carry lava?
No. Despite the description using the word "liquid", lava cannot be pumped through pipes. The developer confirmed other methods are intended for moving lava.
Can pipes carry steam?
Not in the demo build. The developer described steam piping as still in development, and said steam could be collected by other means after a hotfix. Recheck this in the Early Access build.
Sources for this guide
- pipe dont work — Steam Gameplay DiscussionsDeveloper / officialDeveloper (lantto) replies about lava transport and steam piping being in development.
- Water Troubles — Steam Gameplay DiscussionsPlayer report
Game behaviour changes between builds. This page describes Demo. If something here no longer matches your game, the source links above are the place to check first.