The resolution authorized the company to spend up to $40,000, which would be charged to the firm’s invested capital for future rate fixing, to determine the location of the best supply in the Equus Beds. The move by the commission meant, in essence, that the city would not develop the soft water supply itself or build the plant, but would leave it up to the company. While no official action had occurred, Wells had apparently made this important decision while evaluating what firm to hire to conduct the survey. In addition, the company, in its interest to maintain control of the supply, had made an offer which was difficult to refuse. In the discussion by the commission, an area about a mile north of Valley Center was chosen at the expected location for the supply. The city would then either pipe the water to Waterworks Island for distribution by the company, or it could finally exercise its right to purchase the company and develop its own supply.

By September, the Wichita Water Company had taken a number of steps towards locating a supply. Fifteen test holes, a half mile apart, were placed along the Little Arkansas River as far north as Valley Center and based on these tests, two 24-inch gravel walled wells, 60 feet deep, were sunk in early October on the Dr. A.D. Updegraff farm. Water Superintendent Clarence H. Kelley announced that the tests showed the water on the farm was of the best quality and softest available. The two wells were used to determine if constant pumping would draw in the underflow of the Arkansas River. In addition, smaller test wells studied the stability of the hard water flow to see if constant pumping at the rate of two million gallons per day would deplete the supply, and to determine if the quality was as good as originally reported.

Heavy pumping in the wells began on October 9, and the company was able to report on December 17 that the two wells had not diminished the flow or changed the chemical content of the supply. Little variation in the chemical content of the water had been found since the pumping was initiated. Although all of the data was positive, the company continued to test for a longer period of time to insure positive conclusions. A bottle of water from the wells was placed on the third floor of City Hall for citizens usage. According to the Eagle, December 18, 1930, "Few persons had other than praise for the water."

The Eagle reported on May 6, 1931, that the tests had continued to prove satisfactory, both from the standpoint of quality and quantity. George Biggs, chief engineer of the parent company in New York, informed the city he would estimate the cost of piping the water to the city. Things appeared as if they were finally falling into place, unfortunately, history would prove otherwise.

Once Biggs reported to the commission, the city's direction reversed sharply. Revised estimates on the cost of procuring soft water for Wichita were submitted to Wells on May 27, showing that the price for developing a soft water supply from the Equus Beds would be three times that of obtaining it from the Little Arkansas River. According to Biggs, the six square miles necessary to use the Equus Beds, at $167 an acre, would alone cost $442,300. This was in addition to the $697,000 needed for the 42-inch pipeline. The total estimated cost for the project was $2,563,700, with an annual expenditure of $378,079. The softening plant would add another $610,000 with annual operating expenses of $160,100. In comparison, the estimated cost for procuring soft water from Sullivan’s dam was set at $1,311,400 with an annual price tag of $358,859.

The City Commission and the Special Water Committee met to consider the new data. Eagle headlines proclaimed, "Equus Beds Losing Support as Water Problems Studied." After questioning Biggs for nearly two hours over his estimates, many of the members who had previously supported the beds reconsidered. Since the hardness of the water supply from the Equus Beds was approximately 250 parts per million, as compared to the 450 to 500 parts in the river supply, a softening plant would still be required, Biggs reported. A hardness of 100 parts per million was normally considered the demarcation for a soft supply, which matched the water above Sullivan's dam. The quality of the water would be basically the same once it was treated, so the key factor was cost. And the Little Arkansas River plan cost much less. Biggs estimated the Equus Beds plan would double the average water bill while the supply from the dam would only raise bills 45 percent, a total difference to consumers of about $275,000 a year. (Eagle, 5/29/31).

The Water Company strongly favored the dam project, claiming that if the public didn't like the new supply it would be simple to move to the Equus Beds, without losing much equipment, while if the Equus Beds plan was chosen first the potentially excess expenditure would be lost totally. The proposal was to use the water from above Sullivan's dam, which equalled Equus Beds water in quality, and pump it to the water plant for treatment. And since the supply was from the north, it could avoid much of the pollution from the industrial area and the filtering in of the Big Arkansas River. As well, a few million gallons would have to flow downstream daily to serve the river south of 21st Street to the Central Street dam. From the plant on Waterworks Island, water would be pumped into the Little Arkansas River to maintain levels necessary for lakes, water for the Kansas Gas & Electric Company, and sanitary disposal. Although this supply would not be sufficient for long and would receive complaints similar to the original supply, for the present time it offered a solution.

Concern existed over the possible pollution of the river even at that time, but officials sought to allay such fears. In Moore's report, moderate artificial settling and filtration was seen as sufficient to remove any sediments, leaving sparkling clear water. Although he said that the Little Arkansas River was nearly immune from pollution by sewage from cities or from other contamination he recommended chlorination as a safety mechanism. Moore also told the city that no large municipalities existed along the course of the river above Wichita to pollute, and that the smaller towns would not cause any serious problems since they were far enough away for natural purification to occur before the water reached Wichita.

On June 4, 1931, the committee endorsed the Little Arkansas River plan, rescinding its former policy, and subsequently passed it. What followed was a major effort by the city to gain citizen support for the proposal which had been debated for ten years. July was designated as a month to conduct a city-wide educational campaign in an effort to teach every water purchaser in the city about the soft water proposals and to ascertain support for the plan. During the month, all possible information was given to the public on the soft water question, with speakers appearing before civic clubs to answer questions. The Citizens Committee also dispensed information by educating other groups. Water was served to anyone caring to try it at one local store, Rorobaugh’s, and a miniature treatment plant was set up in a large show window demonstrating its operations.

During August a mail-out vote was taken on the issue. A year earlier a poll of the people had been planned but set aside for more study. Now the city was ready for the citizens' views. Instead of having a costly special election, the more than 20,000 water users were mailed a postcard with a yes or no vote on the Sullivan dam plan. Rather than obtaining legal approval, the commission sought public opinion before taking any action. A recommendation letter from the city manager was sent to each consumer explaining the proposal, which would increase the minimum bill from $9 a year to $12.60 and raise the average bill from $20 to $28 per year, a 40 percent increase.

A soft water questionnaire was enclosed with the letter in the form of a post card printed with the following question: "Shall the Board of Commissioners of the city of Wichita, Kansas, procure a new water