• Water division •
In May of 1874, 1500 feet of water main was laid, extending from private
water pumps installed by local manufacturing leaders in order to provide
fire protection to the business district. Throughout that first year of
operation, a number of groups visited Mishawaka to study our new water
works operation.
One Chicago newspaper praised the economy and efficiency of the system.
The Mishawaka Enterprise declared, "We have the best water works
(for the money) in the country."
In 1890, the Mishawaka Water Works Company was incorporated by private
citizens and rented to the town. Its purpose was to provide running water
to Mishawaka's 3000 citizens, all of whom were relying on wells and cisterns
for drinking water. The first facility was constructed on the site now
occupied by the Mishawaka Police Department.
On April 3, 1903, the Mishawaka Public Utility Company was created by
the City, issuing bonds to purchase the Water Works and finance much-needed
extensions of water mains.
Today, we serve a population of roughly 47,620, with about 15,700
connections to our system. We pump an average of 10.1 million gallons
per day, with a capacity of 35.2 mgd and a peak summer demand of
23 mgd. Our 42 employees are involved in the construction and maintenance
of 246 miles of water main, pumping ground water from our 23 wells
located in four well fields. Our new Division Street Wellfield/Treatment
Plant was place online in the fall of 2002.
Additionally, our staff tests our city's water quality 32,000 times
every year (an average of 88 tests per day). Our most recent test
results can be requested at our Business Office, or viewed online
in the Consumer
Confidence area of this website.
While owned by the City of Mishawaka, our efforts are not supported
by tax dollars. We are a division of Mishawaka Utilities; our operation
is totally financed by the customers we serve. Since 9/11, security
concerns have closed our water treatment facilities to public tours
and inspection.
Our division takes seriously our responsibility to help protect the groundwater our communities in this region rely on. It is vital that our children and grandchildren continue receiving benefits from the bountiful supply of fresh, clean drinking water we have come to enjoy and appreciate. Click here for more information on Wellhead Protection.
Finally, we must by law protect our water supply system from contamination, ensuring that we deliver what our customers have grown to expect when they turn a faucet: fresh, clean drinking water. As such, we are responsible for enforcing state and local backflow prevention requlations. To learn more about backflow prevention and testing requirements, click here.
We offer our customers-the citizens who own us-a bountiful supply
of safe, clean drinking water. Enjoying one of the lowest water
rates in Indiana, our customers still today marvel
at the economy and efficiency of our system. More than 100 years
later, Mishawaka still has the best water works for the money in
the country.
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