Water Potential (?) Water potential (?) is a measure of water?s potential to do work. In order to do work, an object must be able to apply enough force to another object to cause displacement. In order for water to displace another object, water must be moving. The largest water potential any volume of water can have, if only standard atmospheric pressure is being applied to that volume of water, is defined as 0. This is the water potential for distilled water. Distilled water has the greatest potential to move, and thus displace another object.