71 
Water Suppeuiss oF INDIANA. 
By CHARLES BROSSMANN. 
More than 60 years have passed since the first Municipal Water 
Works of the State were installed at Madison, Ind. Since then, many plants 
have been erected. Our complex life and increasing population has neces- 
sitated new methods of living and caused new demands; the most impor- 
tant among them being good water. At present there are few towns of 
any size that do not have publie water supplies. 
In the year 1890 there were about 50 plants in this State and at 
the present time there are over 150 plants. It has not been possible to 
get information on all plants, but the figures represent a very healthy 
growth. The town pump and historic oaken bucket are being abandoned, 
and the more convenient and usually safer public supply is being gradu- 
ally adopted. The supplies for public use as a rule are more carefully 
selected and situated and taken from a source less liable to contamina- 
tion than are the individual surface wells of the householder. 
The installation of a water works plant usually is followed by the in- 
stalling of sewers, which is a great asset to the sanitary conditions of any 
locality. 
Of the water works here charted approximately 65% are well systems, 
15% river, and the balance springs, flowing wells, lakes, open wells, etc. 
About 60% of the plants are municipal plants and the balance operated by 
private companies. 
The arrangement and method of charting the supplies has been under- 
taken with the hope that it may be the start of a more complete investiga- 
tion and record, and that such contributions or additions may be made from 
time to time as will increase its value as a water supply record of the 
State. The author's studies in this line have taken into consideration the 
mechanical equipment of the plants using these supplies, but it is not the 
intention to go into this part other than to show on the map the method 
of procuring the subterranean supplies of water. The map of the State 
before mentioned shows the various sources of supply, the method of pro 
