The first shipment of cast iron pipe was sent the last week of October. According to the company it "was the largest order for cast iron pipe in many years." Twenty-four cars carried the first shipment of 4,000 feet of 48-inch pipe, 4,000 feet of 36-inch pipe, and 4,800 feet of 24-inch pipe. It also was reported that it was "the first shipment of 48-inch cast iron pipe manufactured by the centrifugal method of casting pipe in the sand-lined refractory molds." (Beacon, 10/29/39).

Work finally started on the filter plant on November 2, 1939, when the workers began digging the clear well where the treated water is held before being transferred to the storage reservoir or distributed through the city mains. As soon as the well was completed, work on the plant foundation began as did the installation of pipe.

At the November 30 meeting of the City Commission, the $1,333,750 bond issue was finally sold, the largest in the history of the city. A prospectus had been submitted to several municipal bond purchasing agencies in the country, which included histories of the city and the soft water project, the primary resources and industries, and a bidding form. The Eagle reported that the city had performed a quality job in the presentation of the bids, claiming the booklet was "highly lauded." It went on to report, "S.L. Younce of Bankers Trust and Company, New York City, paid glowing tribute to the City Commission for its handling of the issue. He said the prospectus was the best presentation of an issue he had ever seen. 'You've done a marvelous job,' Younce told the city officials." (Eagle, 11/19/39).

The 11 bids reflected the quality of the city's work. Union Securities Corporation of New York City was awarded the contract with an amazingly low bid of 1.624 percent, with a premium of $400.12, the lowest interest rate bid on bonds in the history of the city. Judge Thomas Elcock, a local attorney who was given a vote of thanks by the City Commission, handled the bond issue. The interest graduated over 20 years with five percent paid on the first four years on each maturity, 21/2 percent for the fifth year, and 11/2 percent for the remaining 15 years. The first year, the plan called for $49,750 to mature, $50,000 would mature in each of the next nine years, $74,000 the following year, and the last five years would have a maturity of $100,000. The bond issue plus interest with a maturity due each December 1 totaled $1,595,387.50.

In all, twelve contracts were let by the City Commission for construction of the new system. The last contracts were approved by the PWA on January 4, 1940, and were presented to the City Commission on January 8, to set dates for receiving bids. On the 17th, bids were taken for the well pumps and valves and for the three million gallon reservoir. They were read in front of a crowd of construction and pumping engineers, overflowing the commission chambers. According to the Eagle, "Wichita now holds the position of having the largest construction project in the nation still active." Layne and Western of Kansas City was the low bidder out of six competitors on the pumps, and was awarded the contract for $44,795. Sixteen construction firms from Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska bid on the reservoir with the contract going to Clark Construction Company of Kansas City, Missouri, for a low bid of $48,718, much lower than the estimated costs. The reservoir would be made of reinforced concrete and located east of the filter plant. The commission heard bids on the final contracts on January 23. Jack Palmer Construction Company of Trenton, Missouri, was awarded the work for the power fines for $88,239.41. The bids to build the control station and the caretaker's house were rejected, and bids were to be readvertised under a revised engineers estimate. The rejection was prompted when the lowest bid read $6,000 above the original estimate.

A significant savings had occurred through the bidding procedure. The total estimated cost was $2,435,000, nearly $300,000 more than the actual contracts cost of $2,099,000. Funds were available for payment for rights-of-way, interest, supervision, and engineering.

While the process was moving ahead smoothly, weather was uncooperative, very cold, and near blizzard conditions during much of the winter. Although it did not significantly affect work on the 35-mile pipeline, it did hinder construction of the filter plant. At the February 5 commission meeting, officials reported 48.5 percent of the work on the new system had been completed. May 18 was the PWA deadline, but officials expected an extension would be granted because of the unseasonable cold. At the same meeting, the city manager was authorized to advertise for bids for the final contract, estimated at $14,500. The PWA required the final three contracts to be completed within 100 calendar days after the issuance of work orders.

The Beacon reported on February 11 that work had resumed after a prediction of "fair and warmer weather for the immediate future." The article appeared too early, however, because bad weather soon halted much of the work for another three weeks. Nearly ten weeks' delay had resulted from the inclement weather.

On March 7, 1940, the Eagle reported "on good authority" that the contractors would not complete the work by the May 18 PWA deadline. Only 56 percent of the project was completed by that time, prompting a request for a new date of September 1, 1940. After the extension of the national act authorizing the PWA, its officials continued to work with the needs of the localities, including the Wichita project.

A short time later, contracts were let for the last two major projects, for which bids had been rejected January 23. Martin K. Eby Construction Company of Wichita won the contract for the caretaker's residence, located on the site of well number 14, southwest of Halstead, on March 14, 1940, for $6,740, and work began on April 9. At the same meeting, T.T. Cortelyou Construction Company, also of Wichita, was awarded the construction of the electrical control station and a garage shop building at $7,099, beginning April 9. All of the major projects had been contracted, although various minor contracts remained, such as laboratory equipment, gravel access roads, and culverts. The delays were considered by the PWA and in April the completion deadline was extended to June 29, 1940.

Bids for the last minor projects were received on June 10, 1940. W.B. Carter would build the entrance drives and culverts to the 25 well houses for $4,237.34. A.S. Alo Company of St. Louis and two Wichita companies, C.J. Lusk and Western Machinery, combined to provide office and laboratory equipment for a bid of $2,690.25. The water supply contracts for the soft water system had been all completed and let. A large amount of work was made available to local labor as a result of a PWA requirement that all labor for the project be obtained through the local office of the national Re-employment Service or local unions.

W.D. Swanson, PWA's Wichita resident engineer, authored a lengthy article on the history of the project in the April 28, 1940, edition of the Eagle. He commended the progress of the project, indicating it would come in well under the estimated total cost, and chimed it was receiving international publicity. Swanson wrote, "In assisting the city of Wichita in the construction of the well improvement, the PWA has again demonstrated its ability to aid the community in the construction of a worthwhile project. This project had been one of the most interesting engineering works that has been assisted by the PWA in the state of Kansas." He added, "When the work is all completed and the new water is turned into the mains, it is my opinion the citizens of Wichita will be exceedingly pleased with their investment."