Quick answer
Sanitation is one of those systems that can quietly make the whole settlement feel worse. If growth looks fine but output feels off, check it.
Sanitation Checks
- WikiTactics lists sanitation penalties beginning at 350 sanitation pressure.
- The listed penalties deepen as sanitation pressure rises.
- WikiTactics gives sanitation its own 0.8x floor, separate from congestion.
- That means sanitation and congestion can both matter when the town gets large.
What The Data Says
WikiTactics separates sanitation penalties from congestion penalties under happiness and production. That is the key point: a messy town and a crowded town are related, but they are not the same problem.
Fixing The Right Problem
If the issue is sanitation, more raw production may only cover the symptom for a while. The better habit is to check civic pressure before assuming your whole economy is badly built.