A new method using water as a stationary phase in capillary GC has been described. Through hydrating and applying backpressure to the phase, stable operation can be obtained over time at vari- ous temperatures. While stationary phase retention is reasonably consistent with analyte water solubility, it has little reliance upon analyte volatility. Non-polar analytes are relatively little retained. These properties are useful for directly analyzing organic and aque- ous samples for polar analyte content. The results indicate that this approach could provide an interesting alternative tool for capillary GC separations.