Your sims, being adept at digging wells and septic tanks, will not need a water system at first. But they will want one when they become wealthier. And industry will require one in any case. With these in mind, you might as well supply your city with a water system from the start.
Pipes supply water to within a six-tile radius. Space the pipes ten tiles of each other for the most cost-effectiveness.
Towers draw water from aquifers and distribute it within a ten-tile radius — further when connected to a pipe.
Pumps draw up to nine times more water than a tower, but are more expensive to set up and maintain. You can set them up if you plan to export water to other cities.
Water treatment plants clean out the sewage for cities with heavy industry, large populations, or (most of all) lots of surrounding farms and ranches. Hold off on this until your sims complain about dirty water.
| Item | Initial | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Pipe | §9 | §0.10 |
| Tower | §150 | §50 |
| Pump | §1400 | §350 |
| Sewage Plant | §15000 | §350 |