diff --git a/components/mpas-ocean/cime_config/buildnml b/components/mpas-ocean/cime_config/buildnml
index 603046ac635f..b26da20a9622 100755
--- a/components/mpas-ocean/cime_config/buildnml
+++ b/components/mpas-ocean/cime_config/buildnml
@@ -641,6 +641,7 @@ def buildnml(case, caseroot, compname):
         lines.append('')
         lines.append('<stream name="eddyProductVariablesOutput"')
         lines.append('        type="output"')
+        lines.append('        precision="single"')
         if ocn_grid.startswith("oRRS1"):
             lines.append('        io_type="pnetcdf,cdf5"')
         else:
@@ -663,6 +664,7 @@ def buildnml(case, caseroot, compname):
         lines.append('')
         lines.append('<stream name="highFrequencyOutput"')
         lines.append('        type="output"')
+        lines.append('        precision="single"')
         lines.append('        io_type="{}"'.format(ocn_pio_typename))
         lines.append('        filename_template="mpaso.hist.am.highFrequencyOutput.$Y-$M-$D_$h.$m.$s.nc"')
         lines.append('        filename_interval="00-01-00_00:00:00"')
@@ -710,6 +712,7 @@ def buildnml(case, caseroot, compname):
         lines.append('')
         lines.append('<stream name="mixedLayerDepthsOutput"')
         lines.append('        type="output"')
+        lines.append('        precision="single"')
         lines.append('        io_type="{}"'.format(ocn_pio_typename))
         lines.append('        filename_template="mpaso.hist.am.mixedLayerDepths.$Y-$M-$D.nc"')
         lines.append('        filename_interval="00-01-00_00:00:00"')
@@ -726,6 +729,7 @@ def buildnml(case, caseroot, compname):
         lines.append('')
         lines.append('<stream name="timeSeriesStatsDailyOutput"')
         lines.append('        type="output"')
+        lines.append('        precision="single"')
         lines.append('        io_type="{}"'.format(ocn_pio_typename))
         lines.append('        filename_template="mpaso.hist.am.timeSeriesStatsDaily.$Y-$M-$D.nc"')
         lines.append('        filename_interval="00-01-00_00:00:00"')
@@ -775,6 +779,7 @@ def buildnml(case, caseroot, compname):
         lines.append('')
         lines.append('<stream name="timeSeriesStatsMonthlyOutput"')
         lines.append('        type="output"')
+        lines.append('        precision="single"')
         if ocn_grid.startswith("oRRS1"):
             lines.append('        io_type="pnetcdf,cdf5"')
         else:
@@ -973,6 +978,7 @@ def buildnml(case, caseroot, compname):
         lines.append('')
         lines.append('<stream name="timeSeriesStatsMonthlyMaxOutput"')
         lines.append('        type="output"')
+        lines.append('        precision="single"')
         if ocn_grid.startswith("oRRS1"):
             lines.append('        io_type="pnetcdf,cdf5"')
         else:
@@ -1024,6 +1030,7 @@ def buildnml(case, caseroot, compname):
         lines.append('')
         lines.append('<stream name="timeSeriesStatsMonthlyMinOutput"')
         lines.append('        type="output"')
+        lines.append('        precision="single"')
         if ocn_grid.startswith("oRRS1"):
             lines.append('        io_type="pnetcdf,cdf5"')
         else:
@@ -1075,6 +1082,7 @@ def buildnml(case, caseroot, compname):
         lines.append('')
         lines.append('<stream name="timeSeriesStatsClimatologyOutput"')
         lines.append('        type="output"')
+        lines.append('        precision="single"')
         lines.append('        io_type="{}"'.format(ocn_pio_typename))
         lines.append('        filename_template="mpaso.hist.am.timeSeriesStatsClimatology.$Y-$M-$D.nc"')
         lines.append('        filename_interval="00-01-00_00:00:00"')
@@ -1088,6 +1096,7 @@ def buildnml(case, caseroot, compname):
         lines.append('')
         lines.append('<stream name="timeSeriesStatsCustomOutput"')
         lines.append('        type="output"')
+        lines.append('        precision="single"')
         lines.append('        io_type="{}"'.format(ocn_pio_typename))
         lines.append('        filename_template="mpaso.hist.am.timeSeriesStatsCustom.$Y-$M-$D.nc"')
         lines.append('        filename_interval="00-01-00_00:00:00"')