diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/HMWSoln.cpp b/Cantera/src/thermo/HMWSoln.cpp
index e6c42f566..51f8f76ee 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/HMWSoln.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/HMWSoln.cpp
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
       m_A_Debye             = b.m_A_Debye;
     
       // This is an internal shallow copy of the PDSS_Water pointer
-      m_waterSS = dynamic_cast<PDSS_Water *>(providePDSS(0)) ;
+      m_waterSS = providePDSS(0);
       if (!m_waterSS) {
 	throw CanteraError("HMWSoln::operator=()", "Dynamic cast to PDSS_Water failed");
       }
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
 	m_waterProps = 0;
       }
       if (b.m_waterProps) {
-	m_waterProps = new WaterProps(m_waterSS);
+	m_waterProps = new WaterProps(dynamic_cast<PDSS_Water*>(m_waterSS));
       }
 
       m_expg0_RT            = b.m_expg0_RT;
diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/HMWSoln.h b/Cantera/src/thermo/HMWSoln.h
index 44c9fa335..be0ee07b8 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/HMWSoln.h
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/HMWSoln.h
@@ -2342,7 +2342,8 @@ namespace Cantera {
     /*!
      *  derived from the equation of state for water. 
      */
-    PDSS_Water *m_waterSS;
+    PDSS *m_waterSS;
+    //PDSS *m_waterSS;
 
     //! density of standard-state water
     /*!
diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/HMWSoln_input.cpp b/Cantera/src/thermo/HMWSoln_input.cpp
index c4cb26275..53a70b797 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/HMWSoln_input.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/HMWSoln_input.cpp
@@ -969,9 +969,14 @@ namespace Cantera {
 	    m_speciesSize[k] << endl;
 #endif
 	} else {
-	  throw CanteraError("HMWSoln::initThermoXML",
-			     "Solvent SS Model \"" + modelStringa + 
-			     "\" is not allowed");
+	  //  throw CanteraError("HMWSoln::initThermoXML",
+	  //	     "Solvent SS Model \"" + modelStringa + 
+	  //	     "\" is not allowed, name = " + sss[0]);
+	  m_waterSS = providePDSS(0);
+	  m_waterSS->setState_TP(300., OneAtm);
+	  double dens = m_waterSS->density();
+	  double mw = m_waterSS->molecularWeight();
+	  m_speciesSize[0] = mw / dens;
 	}
       } else {
 	if (modelString != "constant_incompressible" && modelString != "hkft") {
@@ -994,7 +999,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
      * Initialize the water property calculator. It will share
      * the internal eos water calculator.
      */
-    m_waterProps = new WaterProps(m_waterSS);
+    m_waterProps = new WaterProps(dynamic_cast<PDSS_Water*>(m_waterSS));
 
 
     /*
diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS.cpp b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS.cpp
index 37cde085a..33e4771c4 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS.cpp
@@ -274,6 +274,11 @@ namespace Cantera {
     return 0.0;
   }
 
+  doublereal PDSS::density() const {
+    err("density()");
+    return 0.0;
+  }
+
   // Return the molar const volume heat capacity in units of J kmol-1 K-1
   /*
    * Returns the species standard state Cv in J kmol-1 K-1 at the
diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS.h b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS.h
index a3c801e15..66aad718c 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS.h
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS.h
@@ -240,6 +240,16 @@ namespace Cantera {
      *             units are m**3 kmol-1.
      */
     virtual doublereal molarVolume() const;
+
+    //! Return the standard state density at standard state
+    /*!
+     * Returns the species standard state density at the
+     * current temperature and pressure
+     *
+     * @return returns the standard state density
+     *             units are kg m-3
+     */
+    virtual doublereal density() const;
  
     //! Get the difference in the standard state enthalpy
     //! between the current pressure and the reference pressure, p0.
diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.cpp b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.cpp
index b8afd7263..4b07333dd 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.cpp
@@ -267,6 +267,12 @@ namespace Cantera {
     return (val);
   }
 
+  doublereal 
+  PDSS_ConstVol::density() const {
+    double val = m_Vss_ptr[m_spindex];
+    return (m_mw/val);
+  }
+
   doublereal
   PDSS_ConstVol::gibbs_RT_ref() const {
     double val = m_g0_RT_ptr[m_spindex];
@@ -343,8 +349,7 @@ namespace Cantera {
 
   /// saturation pressure
   doublereal PDSS_ConstVol::satPressure(doublereal t){
-    throw CanteraError("PDSS_ConstVol::satPressure()", "unimplemented");
-    return (0.0);
+    return (1.0E-200);
   }
  
 }
diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.h b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.h
index 26a5389bc..dcae51c7e 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.h
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_ConstVol.h
@@ -206,6 +206,16 @@ namespace Cantera {
      */
     virtual doublereal molarVolume() const;
 
+   //! Return the standard state density at standard state
+    /*!
+     * Returns the species standard state density at the
+     * current temperature and pressure
+     *
+     * @return returns the standard state density
+     *             units are kg m-3
+     */
+    virtual doublereal density() const;
+
     /**
      * @} 
      * @name Properties of the Reference State of the Species
diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_HKFT.cpp b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_HKFT.cpp
index f2975c5fb..50e3d7581 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_HKFT.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_HKFT.cpp
@@ -313,6 +313,12 @@ namespace Cantera {
     return molVol;
   }
 
+  doublereal 
+  PDSS_HKFT::density() const {
+    double val = molarVolume();
+    return (m_mw/val);
+  }
+
   doublereal 
   PDSS_HKFT::gibbs_RT_ref() const {
     double m_psave = m_pres;
diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_HKFT.h b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_HKFT.h
index a169f97e5..41cd51687 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_HKFT.h
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_HKFT.h
@@ -212,6 +212,16 @@ namespace Cantera {
      */
     virtual doublereal molarVolume() const;
 
+    //! Return the standard state density at standard state
+    /*!
+     * Returns the species standard state density at the
+     * current temperature and pressure
+     *
+     * @return returns the standard state density
+     *             units are kg m-3
+     */
+    virtual doublereal density() const;
+
     /**
      * @} 
      * @name Properties of the Reference State of the Species
diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.cpp b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.cpp
index fabee4196..6205f7723 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.cpp
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.cpp
@@ -233,6 +233,12 @@ namespace Cantera {
     return (GasConstant * m_temp / m_pres);
   }
 
+
+  doublereal 
+  PDSS_IdealGas::density() const {
+    return (m_pres * m_mw / (GasConstant * m_temp));
+  }
+
   /**
    * Calculate the constant volume heat capacity
    * in mks units of J kmol-1 K-1
diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.h b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.h
index d288f4327..963a4a50a 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.h
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_IdealGas.h
@@ -209,6 +209,16 @@ namespace Cantera {
      */
     virtual doublereal molarVolume() const;
 
+    //! Return the standard state density at standard state
+    /*!
+     * Returns the species standard state density at the
+     * current temperature and pressure
+     *
+     * @return returns the standard state density
+     *             units are kg m-3
+     */
+    virtual doublereal density() const;
+
     /**
      * @} 
      * @name Properties of the Reference State of the Species
@@ -286,9 +296,6 @@ namespace Cantera {
      */
     virtual void setPressure(doublereal pres);
 
-    //! Returns the density of the species
-    double density() const;
-
     //! Set the internal temperature
     /*!
      * @param temp Temperature (Kelvin)
diff --git a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_Water.h b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_Water.h
index 1607b61e7..0411f7213 100644
--- a/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_Water.h
+++ b/Cantera/src/thermo/PDSS_Water.h
@@ -216,6 +216,16 @@ namespace Cantera {
      */
     virtual doublereal molarVolume() const;
 
+    //! Return the standard state density at standard state
+    /*!
+     * Returns the species standard state density at the
+     * current temperature and pressure
+     *
+     * @return returns the standard state density
+     *             units are kg m-3
+     */
+    virtual doublereal density() const;
+
     /**
      * @} 
      * @name Properties of the Reference State of the Species
@@ -310,12 +320,6 @@ namespace Cantera {
      */
     void setDensity(doublereal dens);
 
-    //! Report the current density of the water
-    /*!
-     *  This is a non-virtual function because it specific
-     *  to this object.
-     */
-    doublereal density() const;
 
     //! Return the volumetric thermal expansion coefficient. Units: 1/K.
     /*!