The water district was started on May 24, 1971 by Edward S. Dunn and Charles A. Mannell.

We have over 500 miles of pipeline in the ground and presently 2,012 water customers throughout five counties in Kansas those being Jackson, Jefferson, Atchison, Brown, and Nemaha. RWD #3 serves water to six cities in Jackson county: those being Circleville, Denison, Mayetta, Netawaka, Soldier and Whiting. RWD #3 provides water to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.

RWD #3 has ground water sources being seven wells; 3 wells located North of Holton along 254th road and two wells that serve the Whiting area, and two wells at 262nd and V Roads. Our primary source of water is from the Banner Creek Lake located west of Holton along Highway K-16.

RWD #3 and the City of Holton are joint partners in Public Wholesale No. 18. Public Wholesale No. 18.  We remove about 8-13 million gallons each month from the Banner Creek Reservoir. We sell between 11-19 million gallons each month to all of our customers combined from all of our water sources.