<ARTICLE> UT
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the WICOR,
Inc. FORM 10-Q for the nine months ended September 30, 1998 and is qualified in
its entirety by reference to such financial statements and the related
footnotes.
</LEGEND>
<MULTIPLIER> 1,000
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   9-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-END>                               SEP-30-1998
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                      377,897
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     64,680
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                         290,644
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                       209,419
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 942,640
<COMMON>                                        37,345
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                      216,113
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                            153,430
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>                 406,888
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                          0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                           149,042
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                                   0
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                      110,000
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                  43,946
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   43,608
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>                 299,156
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>                  942,640
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                      695,952
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                            18,242
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     638,266
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                     656,508
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                         39,444
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                               2,966
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>                  42,410
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                        12,634
<NET-INCOME>                                    29,776
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                          0
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>                   29,776
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                        24,242
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                          698
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                         120,429
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                     0.80
<EPS-DILUTED>                                     0.79