Drinking Water

Wellhead Protection Program

The City of Vincennes purchased what is now the municipal water utility in 1935.  Water for the City is provided by a wellfield located on the West Side of the City just south of the Wabash River.  With the largest well out of service, the capacity of the wellfield is approximately 8,000 GPM or 11.52 MGD.  Chlorine, phosphate and fluoride are added at the wellfield.  The wells pump water through an 18-inch water main into the existing distribution system.

According to a information gathered in 2002, there are three water storage tanks providing a total of approximately 5,000,000 gallons of storage within the Vincennes water system.  Two of these tanks are ground storage tanks and it is estimated that only the top third of these tanks is usable storage.  Therefore, the total usable storage for the City is actually more like 2,340,000 gallons.  The Vincennes University tank is a 2,000,000 gallon elevated water storage tank with an overflow of approximately 594.5 feet above sea level.  The tank is located on the V.U. campus and was constructed in the 1950s.  The Hillcrest Tank is a 2,000,000 gallon standpipe with an overflow elevation of approximately 596.9 feet above sea level.  The usable storage of this tank is thought to be about 670,000 gallons.  This tank was constructed in 1978.  The Fox Ridge Tank is also a 2 million gallon standpipe with 670,000 of usable storage.   The tank was constructed in 1987 and provides storage to the high pressure zone of the City’s water system.

The average daily water consumption for Vincennes in 1999 was approximately 3,400,000 GPD and the projected average daily consumption in the year 2020 is 5,500,000 GPD.  The City took this information seriously and has been very proactive in making planning for the City’s future water needs.  In 2004, a 2 million gallon composite storage tank was built in the Bunker Hill region of the distribution system.  Several other large projects have also been conducted since 2002, they are:construction of a new 1,600 GPM booster station at the base of the Hillcrest reservoir in order to pump additional water into Zone No. 2; construction of a 16 inch transmission main from the VU tank to Hillcrest in order to provide an additional 1,600 GPM to Hillcrest while sustaining proper turnover within their existing water storage tanks were completed; construction of approximately 8,400 feet of 12-inch water main along Old US 41 from Niblack Road to Brokhage Road in order to sustain operating pressures and flows to existing customers in the region as well as sustaining proper suction pressure of Booster Station No. 1; construction of 5,000 feet of 14-inch water main along Seminary Street from 1st to 14th Street to provide added looping and circulation of water to south central area of Zone1; and the three existing water tanks were sandblasted and repainted internally and externally in order to improve the water quality that is being stored in them.

The Vincennes distribution system varies in age.  Some of the water mains are more than 75 years old. The oldest portion of the system is located in the downtown area.   The existing distribution system consists of cast iron, transite, galvanized iron, PVC, and ductile iron water mains.  The majority of these mains are 6 inch in diameter.
The Water Department consists of a billing office, maintenance office and garage.  There are 23 employees on the City Water Department staff.  Each employee is instrumental in the entire water distribution process.

Indiana for the most part has an abundant supply of water.  However, pressures from population growth, industrial expansion, agriculture, and urbanization are having a detrimental effect on the quality and adequacy of surface and groundwater for various designated uses.  The activities carried out by farmers, homeowners, developers, industries, cities and towns and many other water users will determine the future condition and impact of Indiana’s water resources on the quality of life for our citizens.  There are numerous changes that we all can make in our daily routines that conserve our most precious natural resource most precious resource.

WATER WISE IDEAS, EVERY DROP COUNTS!

Inside your home

1. Install a water efficient showerhead and take shorter showers.  Reducing your shower from 8 minutes to 5 minutes and installing a water efficient shower head can save almost 168,000L of water per year.
2. When brushing your teeth, turn the tap off.  By wetting the tooth brush and filling a glass of water for rinsing, you can save almost 36,000L of water per year.
3. Insulate hot water pipes.  This avoids wasting water and power while waiting to flow through.  Also make sure your hot water thermostat is not set too high, adding water to cool the temperature of the water is wasteful.
4. Fill the hand basin with water when shaving.  Leaving the tap water run continuously is very wasteful.
5. Check for leaks.  Keep a close eye on your water bill each month and your water meter routinely.  By checking it at night and then rechecking the next morning, (if no water was used in this time) you can tell if it is leakage instead of usage.  A continuously running toilet can waste almost 16,000L of water in a year.
6. Make sure the washing machine load adjustment is right for the load.  You should always try to wash only when you have enough clothes for a full load (the same is true for dishes in the dishwasher).  For example, reducing from 5 to 3 loads a week could save around 9,000L per year.
7. Choose the right washing machine. Front loaders are more efficient than top loaders and can save water, detergent and power.

Outside the home.

1. Mulch, mulch, mulch.  Mulches can prevent up to 73% evaporation loss, reduce weed growth (weeds compete with plants for water), prevent soil erosion, and even out variations in soil temperature over the day and night and improve soil structure.
2. Water wisely.  Wait until the soil dries out before watering.  It is better to water early in the morning or late afternoon.  Watering late in the evening can increase your chance of developing fungal and other diseases due to the water staying on the leaves for the night.  Remember to water the roots of the shrubs and plants not the leaves.
3. Use a trigger instead of leaving the hose running.  Remember to turn the tap off afterwards so the hose does not spring a leak.
4. Use a timer with your sprinkler.  This can be fitted to a tap and will eliminate wasting the water.
5. Choose an appropriate irrigation system.  It has been estimated that improved urban irrigation practices can reduce outdoor water consumption by at least 30% and up to 60%.
6. Instead of using a hose to clean your driveways and paths, use a broom.  The advantage of this are that it is quicker, more efficient and friendly to the environment.
7. Use a swimming pool cover.  One of the major causes of water loss from a pool is through evaporation, as much as 200L per day.
8. Make sure there are no leaks in your pool.
9. When washing your vehicle, turn the hose off between rinses.

Rates for water usage in Vincennes

Ordinance No. 5-2022, establishes rates and charges for services to be rendered by the water works which are as follows:

Water Meter setup information:

All accounts are set up using this link. Water Request Form

Homeowners, Renters, & Business Owners Deposits
The deposit for a water meter setup is based on the size of the meter as follows:

5/8″-$60
3/4″-$75
1″-$100
2″-$200
3″-$300
4″-$400
6″-$600

For new meter installs call 812-882-7877 for a water tap estimate.  One of our staff will meet with you and determine your needs and appropriate fees.
Any questions about Drinking Water contact Andrew Hutchison