Finally, the Chamber of Commerce officially became involved under president Earle Evans. A sub-committee was authorized to study the water question, and Billy Ainsworth of the Ainsworth and Ainsworth firm (William and Erasmus) was invited to speak to a joint meeting of the chamber and the City Commission, on January 23, 1923, providing information on both the existing supply and potential sources of improved water. He became one of the first to present solid evidence and arguments for a new supply. He explained that the supply from the river could not be improved due to the high concentrations of gypsum, lime, salt, and other objectionable minerals in the Arkansas River basin which was fed by Salt Creek and other streams. The water was, therefore, bad for both residential and industrial use because of the residue which would form on boilers and pipes.

Maps were presented, and an area known as the Equus Beds was described, which would eventually become very important to Wichita. The Equus Beds covered portions of McPherson and Harvey counties, south of the Smoky Hill River, and contained 700 to 800 square miles of territory underlaid with great beds of gravel to catch and hold water. The records of hundreds of wells in the area indicated the basin contained "an unfailing supply of water of the finest quality, free from the objectionable features of the water now being furnished the city, and much 'softer' in character," (Chamber of Commerce Minutes).

To prove that the supply was ample for the city, Ainsworth cited evidence from the farm of Schuyler Jones showing irrigation wells had pumped 2,000 gallons per minute for an unbroken period of 18 hours. Some caution was urged as he advised the city to undertake an exhaustive investigation which would cost $25,000 to $30,000 to install the wells for making the necessary tests. He estimated that for $1.5 million a system could take water from near Valley Center, about 15 miles north of Wichita, to gain an inexhaustible supply of soft water.

Although no immediate action was taken after questioning Ainsworth on his report, Evans encouraged further study on locating a soft water supply for Wichita. Despite the lack of action, Ainsworth's study was significant in that it was one of the first to give detailed information on the Equus Beds and served as the initial foundation for future efforts to improve the city's water supply. Years later, City Manager Bert C. Wells would refer to the survey as "one of the most comprehensive ever undertaken in this part of Kansas relative to underground water supply." (Eagle, 9/28/38).

Now that it had more facts, the chamber applied pressure on the commission to take action and by July, 1923, the commission approved $10,000 for tests to determine whether a sufficient quantity of soft water was available. The Beacon reported, however, that throughout the next year, City Manager Elliott sirnply nullified the appropriation by avoiding taking any action with the money. And since the money was never used, it automatically reverted to the general fund at year’s end. Again, another route had to be found. Will G. Price became president of the Chamber of Commerce in 1929 and formed the first official soft water committee, naming L.L. Maxey as chairman. It remained active in the push for soft water in Wichita for the next 20 years.

Finally, in July of 1924 the American Water Works and Electric Company, which had been formed in 1914 from a reorganization of the American Water Works and Guarantee Company, was requested to investigate the water supply and the possibility of providing a better quality product to the consumer. On August 21, 1924, G.W. Biggs, chief engineer, and C.E. Trowbridge, chief chemist and sanitary engineer for the Wichita Water Company, replied to the city's request in a letter to City Manager Elliott. It spelled out three potential solutions to the problem: 1) developing an underground water supply from the Equus Beds some ten miles north of the city; 2) softening the present supply; and 3) developing a supply from the Little Arkansas River, above Sullivan's dam, north of the city, using existing wells in peak loads, and softening the water. Biggs and Trowbridge recommended the third proposal.

During the same period, the Chamber of Commerce was looking, for direction following the city's failure to act. State Geologist Raymond C. Moore agreed to make the necessary tests if his expenses were paid. After various delays, the offer was accepted and he developed a voluminous report on the subject. Moore's report was submitted in January of 1925, and reached general agreement with the Water Company report by Biggs and Trowbridge, recommending the treated supply from the Little Arkansas River, augmented by the old wells. He estimated the costs for the three alternatives and found that to impound water from the river, with dams, would cost about $1,000,000, while softening the present supply would be $914,000, and using the Valley Center beds would be $1,290,000. Moore also suggested possibly obtaining water from the Big Slough and Cowskin Creeks, six miles west of Wichita.

With reports in and public pressure for a new supply growing, the City Commission decided on March 9 to put the issue up for a vote on April 7, 1925, upon recommendation of the city manager. The only proposition which was submitted, however, was the Little Arkansas River plan, it read: "Shall the city of Wichita contract with the Wichita Water Company whereby said company will, at the expenditure of approximately $1 1/4 million and the treatment of the waters of the Little Arkansas River, secure a soft water supply for Wichita; said Water Company to be permitted to increase its rates sufficiently to defray the additional operation costs and overhead together with a return of eight percent upon the addition capital invested?" (City Commission Minutes).

On March 10, the Soft Water Committee recommended the Equus Beds as the best supply in terms of quality and called for a survey of both the beds and the Big Slough to see if an adequate supply was available.