In Arc Raiders, Celeste—one of the key traders in the Raider Den and leader of Speranza—assigns the "Water Troubles" quest to address potential sabotage and water contamination risks around the dam. This quest is essential for progressing Celeste's questline and unlocking valuable resources, making it a must-complete for any raider looking to ARC Raiders BluePrints strengthen their loadout and advance the game's narrative.

Unlike some of Arc Raiders' more combat-heavy missions, "Water Troubles" focuses on exploration and precision. It requires you to navigate the Dam Battlegrounds map, locate a hidden flood access tunnel, and collect a water sample—all within a single match. While the quest is straightforward, its hidden objectives and potential enemy encounters can trip up even experienced players. This guide breaks down every step to ensure a smooth, efficient completion.

Prerequisites to Unlock the Water Troubles Quest

Before you can accept the "Water Troubles" quest, you must first complete three prerequisite missions from Celeste's questline. These foundational quests lay the groundwork for the water contamination issue and ensure you're familiar with key areas of the game world.

The required prerequisites are: "Root of the Matter," "Untended Garden," and "A Balanced Harvest." These quests are relatively simple and involve basic exploration and resource gathering, making them easy to complete in a few matches.

Once these three quests are finished, head to the Raider Den, select Celeste, and navigate to her "Quests" tab. You'll find "Water Troubles" listed there—select it to set it as your active quest and begin your mission to secure the dam's water supply.

Step 1: Spawn into the Dam Battlegrounds Map

The "Water Troubles" quest takes place exclusively on the Dam Battlegrounds map. After activating the quest, launch a match on this map—you can do this by selecting the Dam Battlegrounds from the map menu or using the quick-launch option for active quests.

Upon spawning, take a moment to orient yourself. The map's spawn points vary (north or south of the dam), but your objective remains the same: locate the flood access tunnel. Pay attention to your minimap, as it will help you navigate toward the Red Lake Berm area, where the tunnel entrance is located.

Note that the Dam Battlegrounds is often patrolled by enemies like Rocketia and Reapers, especially near the Red Lake. Stay alert and use cover to avoid unnecessary combat—your goal is to complete the quest efficiently, not clear every enemy on the map.

Step 2: Locate the Flood Access Tunnel

The flood access tunnel is the key entry point for the quest, and it has two possible entrances, depending on your spawn location. This flexibility ensures you can reach the tunnel quickly regardless of where you start on the map.

If you spawn north of the dam, head to the Red Lake's drainage ditch. This entrance is hidden along the edge of the Red Lake, marked by a large pipe opening at the base of the water's edge. You may need to wade through shallow water to reach it, but it's relatively easy to spot once you're in the Red Lake Berm area.

If you spawn south of the dam, take the entrance east of the Research Management Center. Look for a large hole in the ground near the center's eastern wall—this is the tunnel's southern entrance. It's partially concealed by debris, so keep an eye out for broken concrete and exposed pipes.

Both entrances lead to the same tunnel, so choose the one closest to your spawn point to save time. If you encounter large ARC enemies near either entrance, use cover to sneak past them—fighting them will only delay your progress.

Step 3: Find the District's Water Supply Intake

Once inside the flood access tunnel, proceed straight ahead. The tunnel is dark but well-lit by occasional emergency lights, so you won't need to worry about navigating in complete darkness. As you walk, you'll notice pipes running along the walls and a shallow pool of water at the end of the tunnel.

Your next objective is to find the water supply intake, which is submerged in the pool at the end of the tunnel. This intake can be tricky to spot, as it's partially hidden under the water's surface.

A helpful clue to locate the intake is the faint rainbow formation above the water. This rainbow is caused by light reflecting off the intake pipe, making it easier to identify. The intake is also near a zip line point—if you see a zip line anchor above the pool, the intake is likely nearby.

Take your time to scan the water's surface. The intake pipe is slightly larger than the surrounding pipes and has a subtle glow, which helps it stand out from the murky water. Avoid rushing, as missing the intake will force you to backtrack and waste valuable match time.

Step 4: Collect the Water Sample

Once you've located the water supply intake, approach it and interact with it to collect the water sample. The interaction prompt will appear when you're close enough—press the designated button (X on PlayStation, A on Xbox, or E on PC) to start the sampling process.

The sampling process is quick, taking only a few seconds to buy ARC Raiders Weapons complete. You don't need to extract or ferry the sample back to Celeste immediately—once the sampling is done, the quest is technically complete.

After collecting the sample, you'll receive a notification confirming that the "Water Troubles" quest has been completed. You can then continue exploring the Dam Battlegrounds or head to any evacuation point to exit the match early.