Economic and Marketing Information
FOR INDIANA  FARMERS
Prepared by the Agricultural Staff of Purdue University, Lafayette, Indiana  
June 30, 1966
by Charles Sargent, Agricultural Economics
A critical problem faces many southern and
some northern Indiana rural communities: How
to get an adequate supply of low-cost, high-quality
water? Several rural areas have come up with
one answer and many more are seeking solutions.
Community water systems are being built with
pipelines, pumps, and elevated storage tanks distributing water to scattered rural residents from
nearby municipal water systems or from new
wells and impoundments built by rural water corporations.
Southeastern and southwestern Indiana, where
ground water supplies are limited, now have 22
rural water systems in operation, serving 5,270
patrons, all built in the last 3 years. Another 5
systems are now under construction, about 50
more are on engineers' drawing boards, and a
number of other communities are in an early
^project-planning stage.
To many rural residents not served by municipal systems, water is scarce, expensive, and frequently of poor quality. Rural consumers have
depended on their own underground wells, surface
ponds or cisterns, or in some cases tank trucks for
water. All three methods have drawbacks. The
initial investment and upkeep on a deep well and
pump are high and, in some localities, wells are
not feasible. Ponds and cisterns are used extensively but problems of water quality are formidable and costly filtering and purification are usually required. Where water must be trucked in,
charges range from $5.00 to $15.00 per 1,000
gallons, varying with distance transported.
If rural community water systems make sense,
why weren't they organized and built years ago?
Three relatively recent developments have encouraged them: cost-cutting technology that reduced
the investment required for distribution systems;
an increase in water demand; and availability of
large, long-term loans.
New Technology
Rural communities could not aiTord the high
volume, high pressure, cast iron and steel pipe
systems installed in our cities and towns. Pipe
lines must stretch for miles along country roads
instead of blocks to serve consumers separated by
large chunks of land.
The assistance of Ralph Shelburn, Water Facilities
Engineer, Farmers Homo Administration, is gratefully
acknowledged.
Low-pressure hydro-pneumatic systems permit-
ing the use of plastic and asbestos-cement pipe of
relatively small diameter have reduced pipe line
costs considerably. Ditching machines can open
four-foot deep trenches at the rate of 500 feet per
hour. Pipe can be laid and covered quickly. Investment per patron can be held below $1,500 in
many rural areas and this investment eliminates
costly individual water supply systems.
Increasing Water Demand
Modern living requires increasing amounts of
water. Forty gallons daily per family member for
all purposes is now a standard supply recommendation. Rising per capita consumption and
an increase in the number of rural non-farm
families and part-time farmers have offset the
decline in number of farm families and boosted
total water demand.
F.H.A.  Loans and Grants
The Farmers Home Administration is making
low-interest, long-term loans to non-profit water
corporations.
Should Your Community Organize
a Water System?
Determining the need and feasibility of a water
system  requires  careful  study.    Localities   with