Brazil water woes

TERRE HAUTE, Ind (WTHI) - Below the ground, just west of the Big Walnut River in Putnam County, is a massive source of fresh water.

Brazil city water customers get their water from that source and old pumps bring the water out of the ground.

"This was put back in in 1954, 1955. So there are some of our piping that needs to be replaced out this way," Brazil Water superintendent Jacob Raubuch said.

The water travels about four miles to the treatment plant on State road 40 in Clay County. The water flows through blue pipes before being treated.

"This is the raw water as it comes in, it goes into the top of the filters and then goes down into the filtering process and this is all under pressure," Raubuch said.

From there, the water flows into the two big blue containers on the property.

"It holds point nine million gallons of water and we have two of them here that help bring us in compliance with the state," Raubuch said.

The rest is stored in the city's rusty water tower.

"The tank was put in in 1954. I has not been maintained properly like it should have been," said Raubuch. "There are large pitted areas in the tank," said Raubuch.

The good news is there are plans for a new tower to sit on the west part of town.

Now, the only thing in the way, is a few million dollars.

"As long as the grants and various things come at the pace that we are hoping them to come, were probably looking at December for construction to start," said Raubuch.

In the meantime, city officials assure customers the water is safe to drink.