During the next week, the city officials met with the Water Company to discuss details of a purchase contract. Finally, on October 2, it was signed by Mayor Lester and Vice-President Heiney, to become effective upon passage of the revenue bonds. Actually, two contracts were signed. The first provided that the city would pay the company $30 million plus the estimated costs of $2 million for capital improvements made between June 30 and the target date of November 1, 1957. The second allowed for indirect management of the Wichita water system by the American Water Works Company, Inc., for four percent of the yield, or about $100,000 a year. Once the contracts were official, the commission made final approval of Ordinance 22-283, calling for a special election on November 6 to vote on municipal acquisition of the company and construction of a city pipeline to Cheney, both financed by water revenue bonds. The following week on October 9, 1956, an ordinance was passed approving and ratifying the purchase and management agreements, dated October 2, 1956, and on October 23 the city received a certified copy of a resolution from the Board of Directors of the American Water Works Company, Inc., dated October 18, ratifying the two contracts as well. All that was left was the vote.

In the period between the decision on the election in late September and the actual vote, campaigning was heavy and intense. Official publication of the election was necessary, of course, but the city also worked hard to get support for the bonds. Commissioners and experts for the city spoke to groups around Wichita and gave interviews to the press explaining the needs. In addition, both newspapers endorsed the projects and spent much space supporting the proposals. Afterward, the Beacon wrote on November 8, 1956, "No other civic issue ever commanded so much attention from the newspaper." But all were not in favor, with most of the controversy over the Water Company purchase. Numerous ads in the papers advocated a "negative" vote in the election, many sponsored by "Wichita business and professional men," Commissioner E.E. Baird led the opposition by signing ads against the bonds. He claimed Cheney Reservoir was not a reliable source, contradicting many experts of the city, and rallied behind the cry, "A government has no business in business," (Eagle, 11/4/56). The opponents claimed that public ownership was equivalent to socialism and therefore, should be denied.

While the campaign was going on, dedication ceremonies for the new treatment plant addition were conducted on October 28. The chairman of the Kansas Water Resources Board, C.Y. Thomas, spoke at the event, centering his remarks on the water situation claiming, "Nothing can be more controversial than water." He could hardly have been more accurate.

The city sent out 60,000 pamphlets to the school system explaining the vote and reasons for supporting it. While the newspapers continued to support the issues with stories and editorials, ads and letters to the editor continued in opposition. Commissioners, other than Baird, issued statements endorsing the plan. Much of the concern surrounded the question of paying $30 million when the stock option was $20 million. In response the time required for court litigation and the questionable enforceability of the stock option were emphasized.

The point was also stressed that Wichita had to have a new supply of water. From 1952 to 1956 Kansas experienced the worst drought in its history. When combining the litigation delaying access to the Equus Beds with the increased demands of the population and industry, something had to be done. Black and Veatch's study concluded that purchase of the Water Company was an essential step in solving the problem, since the return, which had gone to the company, plus the savings from income taxes, would allow the city to buy the system and pay for improvements and additions without raising water rates. In addition, the city would also participate in the federal project to build the reservoir. And according to the firm, sooner or later the city would have to develop every water resource within reasonable distance to meet its needs. Along with these facts, the city brought in other experts and various officials from other cities and levels of government to endorse the plan.

After intense controversy, the election was finally held on November 6. By a vote of 50,780 to 37,165, citizens favored purchasing the Water Company, and by 54,310 to 31,321 favored the Cheney Reservoir. Results demonstrated the great interest in the purchase of the Water Company, with 3,000 more voting on that proposition than on the Cheney proposition. The city was authorized to buy the plant. All that was left was implementation of the decision. But once again, that was more easily said than done, and a variety of stumbling blocks arose in the interim.

Once the authorization was given, the commission began work on implementation with emphasis on gaining the necessary legislative action. The proposed feasibility report on Cheney from the Bureau of Reclamation was received on November 27,1956. Following approval by Hess and Black and Veatch, Mayor Howse informed the bureau of the city's formal concurrence with the report in a letter dated December 4, 1956, which the City Commission approved on January 2, 1957. The Kansas State Water Resources Board also reviewed the report and accepted it on December 28, 1956. Following meetings with federal officials, various informal agreements were established on a proposed contract for reimbursing project costs allocated for municipal water supply purposes, the portion the city would pay. The official letter of December 27 was revised to adopt the agreements after Howse recommended the changes to the commission on January 22.

Shortly thereafter, on March 6, 1957, the city's application (Number 5033) for appropriation of water at the Cheney Reservoir site was approved by the state, assuming the construction began by December 31, 1958. On March 14, the Kansas attorney general informed the federal government of his opinion validating the application.

While the work with the federal government was going on, the city was also moving to obtain state legislative changes as well. The City Commission authorized the manager to meet with Governor-Elect George Docking and local legislative delegations to plan enabling legislation needed by the city. In order for the city to participate in the Cheney project, state legislation had to be passed allowing it, since no such authority was given. In addition, the city sought to convert temporary notes to revenue bonds, which also had to be approved by law, to issue revenue bonds, for extension without a vote, and to have the management contract approved.