Soda Fountain

Soda Fountain is a recreational building that provides sparkling water to Duplicants. Its main appeal is that it grants a +1 Science bonus while in use, which makes it useful not only as a morale source but also as a small boost to learning speed for all Duplicants. It is one of the stronger watering hole options overall, though it consumes significantly more water than the Juicer and Espresso Machine.

Unlike many fluid-using buildings, Soda Fountain has no gas pipe port, so supplying it requires an available Canister Filler and the hauling labor to move the liquid by hand. This makes it less convenient to set up than buildings that can be fed directly through piping, but it remains a practical way to turn excess Water into a recreational amenity. The building is also a viable sink for Carbon Dioxide, although it is less efficient than the Carbon Skimmer when compared by power use, water use, and the errands required to keep it running.

A Soda Fountain that is fed with contaminated Water can spread Food Poisoning to Duplicants who use it. Keeping the input clean is therefore important, especially if the building is placed in a busy recreation area where many Duplicants will visit it.

• Its priority is 5, so Duplicants prefer higher-priority recreational buildings when several are available.
• Because Duplicants do not repeatedly use the same recreational building in quick succession, Soda Fountain, Espresso Machine, and Juicer can complement one another in a shared recreation setup.
• Since the building relies on manual delivery rather than a pipe connection, it benefits from being placed near storage and a hauling route.
• The Science bonus makes it especially attractive in bases where improving skill gain speed is valuable.
• It is water-hungry, so it is best used when Water is abundant or when converting unwanted Carbon Dioxide into a useful recreational product is worth the cost.

Its flavor text is simple and fitting: sparkling water makes a Duplicant’s eyes shine.