The Cleaner, Greener, More Affordable Water Cooler for Indianapolis

Long before it became the bustling capital of Indiana, Indianapolis was home to the Lenape, a Native American tribe that built camps along the banks of the White River and Fall Creek. The city’s proximity to both proved a resource and a danger, as the waterways flooded low-lying areas, particularly during the 1820s.

Indianapolis’s water system would have made headlines for its Indiana Central Canal, which intended to connect the Wabash and Erie Canal to the Ohio River, but the project went unfinished due to a financial crisis during the Panic of 1837. Today, the canal cuts through the city’s downtown and provides residents with beautiful opportunities for waterside leisure.

The 19th century ushered in a period of effervescence and establishment for the region. As the new settlers built the capital city’s government and infrastructure, a more formal water system took shape. Citizens Energy Group was established in 1887 as a public charitable trust to oversee water management.

Residents can still trace Indianapolis tap water back to White River and Fall Creek; Morse, Geist, and Eagle Creek Reservoirs; and a number of groundwater sources. Today, Citizens Energy Group continues to oversee Indianapolis water quality, serving multiple counties and about 800,000 consumers.

Citizens operates 4 treatment plants throughout Indianapolis and Morgan County, aerating and filtering groundwater and physically removing surface water contaminants. The organization has also implemented a wellhead protection program to minimize groundwater contamination. Although Citizens regularly tests drinking water for lead and copper contamination, old cast iron plumbing lines are prone to corrosion which may contaminate Indianapolis tap water.

According to the recent Indianapolis Water Quality assessment, open storage of surface water can lead to contamination from humans, animals, or insects. The city’s water is considered “hard” due to higher levels of calcium and magnesium, and residents often complain of a metallic or rusty taste.