Let’s be real. Nobody actually likes the submarine in GTA V. It moves with the grace of a floating brick, and the ocean floor of San Andreas is mostly just endless sand and the occasional terrifying shark. But if you're looking at a GTA V nuclear waste map, you probably care about two things: money and that elusive 100% completion stat.
It’s a long haul. You’ve got 30 barrels of yellow sludge scattered around the entire coastline of the map. If you try to do it all in one sitting, expect to spend about two hours staring at a sonar screen while Michael de Santa has a mid-life crisis in a cramped cockpit.
But here is the kicker—the payout is actually decent. You get $23,000 per barrel. Do the math. That is $690,000 for the set, plus a $250,000 bonus at the end. That’s nearly a million bucks ($940,000 to be exact) just for being an underwater garbageman.
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How to Get Started Without Pulling Your Hair Out
First, you can't just dive in. You have to buy the Sonar Collections Dock. It costs $250,000. You’ll find it up in Paleto Cove, but it only goes on sale after you finish "The Merryweather Heist."
Once you buy the property, a submarine (the Minisub) spawns right there at the jetty. Hop in, and your phone will automatically launch an app called Trackify.
Expert Tip: Trackify is basically a vintage radar. It shows a red dot. That’s your target. The problem? It doesn't tell you the depth. Some of these barrels are tucked into rock crevices or sitting on ledges right at the submarine's "crushing depth" limit.
Honestly, the hardest part isn't finding the waste; it’s the travel time. The sub is slow. Like, really slow. If you pick up a barrel near the Palomino Highlands and the next one is near the airport, you’re in for a long, quiet ride.
The Best Route on the GTA V Nuclear Waste Map
Most people just follow the radar blindly, which is a mistake. You want to move in a logical circle. If you start at the Sonar Collections Dock, go clockwise.
The Northern Run (Paleto Bay to Mount Gordo)
The first few barrels are easy. They are right there in Paleto Cove.
- Barrel 1-3: These are practically gifts. They sit in shallow water near the dock.
- The Deep One: Watch out for the barrel near Procopio Beach. It’s sitting nearly 430 feet down. If you go too deep, your sub starts to crack. You’ll hear that groaning metal sound. That’s your cue to stop descending.
The Eastern Coastline (Humane Labs and Palomino)
This is the "boring" stretch. The distance between barrels 13 and 14 is massive.
- Humane Labs: There are a few barrels east of the research facility. Keep an eye on your radar here because the terrain gets rocky.
- The Plane Crash: Around barrel 18, you’ll find a plane wreck south of the Palomino Highlands. It’s a cool landmark, but don't get distracted.
The Western Side (Del Perro and Zancudo)
If you’ve made it this far, you’ve done the hard work.
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- The Pier: There is one barrel tucked directly under the wood stilts of the Del Perro Pier. It’s a bit of a tight squeeze for the sub, so take it slow.
- Fort Zancudo: The barrels near the military base (26 through 28) are straightforward, but they are spread out. Just keep chugging along the coast.
Is the Waste Management Achievement Really Worth It?
If you're a trophy hunter, yes. Collecting all 30 unlocks the "Waste Management" achievement.
But there’s a nuance most people miss regarding the money. The cash goes to the character who owns the dock. If Michael buys the dock but you use Trevor to pick up the barrels, Michael still gets the $23k per pop. However, if you use a character who doesn't own the property, the money might not hit the bank account until the weekly property income email arrives.
To keep it simple: buy it with Michael or Franklin (whoever needs the cash more) and do the driving with them.
A Few Realities About the Search
Let's be honest about the Trackify app. It’s kind of trash. It doesn't show the world map, just a black screen with a dot. This is why having a visual GTA V nuclear waste map open on a second screen is basically mandatory.
Also, watch your depth gauge. If you hit the "red zone" on your depth meter, the sub will eventually implode. You don't want to lose progress because you were trying to reach a barrel that was a few feet too deep. Usually, you can hover just above the "crush depth" and the barrel will "snap" to your sub if you're close enough.
Your Next Steps for Total Map Completion
Don't just stop at the nuclear waste. Since you’re already in the water with a sub, you might as well look for the Submarine Parts.
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- Finish the Nuclear Waste: Get that $940,000 total payout first.
- Trigger "Death at Sea": Go to the Sonar Dock as Michael to meet Abigail. This starts the mission to find 30 submarine parts.
- Switch to the Dinghy: For the submarine parts, you’ll get a Dinghy with sonar. It’s much faster than the sub.
The nuclear waste mission doesn't actually count toward the "Career Criminal" 100% checklist (the 50 Spaceship parts and 50 Letter Scraps are the ones you need for that), but it’s the fastest way to fund your character's weapon upgrades and car mods in the mid-game.
Basically, grab a podcast, pull up a high-res map, and start diving. The ocean is big, but that $1 million payday makes it feel a lot smaller.