In a small scaled plant intended for flexible manufacturing, a pure water
supply system is provided at a low cost without reducing a production
efficiency. A pure water system produces a plurality of grades of pure
water which are supplied through pipes connected to points of use for
cleaning, CMP, lithography, and the like. Upon receipt of a request
signal from each point of use for starting to use a certain grade of pure
water, a controller determines whether or not a required amount exceeds
the capacity of the grade of pure water which can be supplied by the pure
water system. If not, the controller sends a use permission signal to the
point of use for permitting the same to use the pure water. When a
certain use point is using the requested grade of pure water, the
controller may not permit the requesting point of use to use the pure
water until a use end signal is sent from the use point which is using
the pure water.