<ARTICLE> UT
<CIK> 0000032379
<NAME> ELIZABETHTOWN WATER COMPANY
       
                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1996
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1996
<BOOK-VALUE>                                  PER-BOOK
<TOTAL-NET-UTILITY-PLANT>                  560,024,147
<OTHER-PROPERTY-AND-INVEST>                     80,976
<TOTAL-CURRENT-ASSETS>                      34,989,771
<TOTAL-DEFERRED-CHARGES>                    45,684,108
<OTHER-ASSETS>                                       0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                             640,779,002
<COMMON>                                    15,740,602
<CAPITAL-SURPLUS-PAID-IN>                  116,972,646
<RETAINED-EARNINGS>                         49,579,584
<TOTAL-COMMON-STOCKHOLDERS-EQ>             182,292,832
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>                                0
<PREFERRED>                                 12,000,000
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-NET>                       181,933,425
<SHORT-TERM-NOTES>                          69,000,000
<LONG-TERM-NOTES-PAYABLE>                            0
<COMMERCIAL-PAPER-OBLIGATIONS>                       0
<LONG-TERM-DEBT-CURRENT-PORT>                   30,000
<PREFERRED-STOCK-CURRENT>                            0
<CAPITAL-LEASE-OBLIGATIONS>                          0
<LEASES-CURRENT>                                     0
<OTHER-ITEMS-CAPITAL-AND-LIAB>             195,522,745
<TOT-CAPITALIZATION-AND-LIAB>              640,779,002
<GROSS-OPERATING-REVENUE>                  110,358,349
<INCOME-TAX-EXPENSE>                         7,360,461
<OTHER-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                  76,154,447
<TOTAL-OPERATING-EXPENSES>                  83,514,908
<OPERATING-INCOME-LOSS>                     26,843,441
<OTHER-INCOME-NET>                           2,715,285
<INCOME-BEFORE-INTEREST-EXPEN>              29,558,726
<TOTAL-INTEREST-EXPENSE>                    12,803,562
<NET-INCOME>                                16,755,164
<PREFERRED-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                    813,000
<EARNINGS-AVAILABLE-FOR-COMM>               15,942,164
<COMMON-STOCK-DIVIDENDS>                    16,342,106
<TOTAL-INTEREST-ON-BONDS>                   13,011,069
<CASH-FLOW-OPERATIONS>                      20,605,513
<EPS-PRIMARY>                                        0
<EPS-DILUTED>                                        0