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Gametitle-FO1
Gametitle-FO1
Ah, you're here, good. We've got a problem, a big one. The controller chip for our water purification system has given up the ghost. Can't make another one, and the process is too complicated for a work around system. Simply put, we're running out of drinking water. No water, no vault. This is crucial to our survival. And frankly, I... I think you're the only hope we have.Jacoren

Find the Water Chip is a main quest in Fallout.

Quick walkthrough

Main Quest: Find the Water Chip 
Exit Vault 13. 
Acquire two pieces of rope. 
Go to Vault 15 and use the rope on the elevator shaft. 
Go to the command center. 
Reward: 500 XP 
Go to the Hub and buy the holodisk from Mrs. Stapleton
Ask Martha Rastello to send water to Vault 13. (optional) 
Travel to Necropolis and go to the Watershed, using the sewers
Deal with Harry
Complete Free Ghoul prisoner. (optional) 
Go to the third level of Vault 12 and get the chip from the command center. 
Return back to Jacoren and give him the chip. 
Reward: 7000 XP 
Next quest: Destroy the Mutant leader, Destroy the source of the Mutants 

Detailed walkthrough

Exit the cave and travel towards Vault 15. Enter Shady Sands (there is a green circle denoting a location uncovered during the travel to Vault 15).

Shady Sands

Locate a rope:

  • The easiest way to do this is to buy (or steal) it from Seth at the entrance to Shady Sands.
  • It can be found on certain bookshelves in Shady Sands.
  • It can also be purchased from certain traders. Many of these traders are located in the Hub.

After acquiring the rope, go to Vault 15.

Vault 15

The Vault entrance is hidden in the uninhabited shack. Open the hatch and descend into the Vault.

There are a few giant rats and mole rats in the area. Head towards the broken elevator and use the rope on the shaft to descend to the second level.

Scavenge the area for loot, including a Colt Rangemaster hunting rifle or H&K MP9 SMG, a leather jacket, and another rope (inside the locker). Use a rope on the second shaft and descend to the third level of the Vault.

Proceed to where the command center should be. Once it is in sight, 500 XP is awarded for verifying that it is not salvageable. To acquire the XP, and the message that states the chip is elsewhere, reach the bottom right corner of the facility.

The Hub

After coming out of Vault 15 empty handed, travel to the Hub. Ask Ian for directions.

Enter the large building labeled Water Merchants, and speak to the Master Water Merchant, Martha Rastello.

  • If pressed about Necropolis she will reveal its location. Alternatively, Miss Stapleton sells a holodisk with the location of Necropolis.
  • (optional) She can send water to Vault 13 for varying prices. This will add another 100 days to the time limit.

Travel to Necropolis.

Necropolis

Use the manhole to enter the sewers and proceed north through the sewers to the Watershed area. If the Vault Dweller takes this route, they will come across a group of friendly ghoul refugees and they can get information on the super mutants from their leader. After this, keep heading north through the sewers and climb up the ladder at the end. Find a building to the north with some super mutants and an imprisoned ghoul. In order to navigate the area without combat, either convince the super mutant leader Harry with a high Speech skill or sneak past. Violence is an option as well. If the player character fails to achieve a peaceful solution, Harry will either attack, or send the player character to the Mariposa Military Base.

After dealing with the super mutants, free the ghoul prisoner. If he is still alive, he will identify the entrance to Vault 12 in the adjacent cell. However, the entrance can still be opened without speaking to him.

Ghouls inhabit the Vault area and are hostile during night time. Travel to the third level using the elevator, and enter the command center area. Remove the water chip from the computer. It should be noted that doing this will cause the ghouls in the Vault to turn hostile.

After obtaining the chip, head back to Vault 13 and give the chip to Overseer Jacoren.

Rewards

Related quests

Notes

  • After completing this quest, Overseer Jacoren will give the quests "Destroy the source of the Mutants" and "Destroy the Mutant leader".
  • After the Vault Dweller gets the chip back to Vault 13, all Necropolis ghouls will be attacked in 30 days by invading super mutants unless Part II can be finished in time.
  • This quest is not crucial to finishing the game. Killing the Master and destroying the vats before the time limit runs out ends the game.
  • This quest can be the first the Vault Dweller completes, leaving infinite time to finish the other quests.
  • If the chip is taken without repairing the water pump, the three ghouls in the command center will become hostile.
  • With the addition of the most recent patch, more time is added before the super mutants attack, up to a maximum of 13 in-game years.
  • If this quest is not completed before the time limit runs out, it will be Game Over, and the player will be returned to the main menu.
  • Find the Water Chip is the first main storyline quest and you receive it just after the intro by Overseer Jacoren in front of the Vault 13 door.

Bugs

  • To keep the water chip, simply press the 0 button when the Overseer asks the Vault Dweller for it. Afterwards, the Vault Dweller will be at the computer, gain the 7500 XP, lose the time limit, get the new quests from the Overseer and keep the chip. If the player character has a bag or backpack below the water chip in the their inventory list, this will also keep the chip from disappearing.[verified]
  • There are two ways to "reset" the quest. The easiest is to talk to the water merchants. The other requires that the Vault Dweller kept the chip; returning to Necropolis and using it on the water computer, thereby also undoing the chip quest, which means the Vault Dweller can give the water chip to the Overseer again for 7500 more XP. Using this cheat allows the Vault Dweller to keep the chip and then travel back and forth between the Hub and Vault 13, gaining 8500 XP each round trip and increasing the time limit all the while.[verified]
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