PROSPECTUS

IONICS, INCORPORATED

69,500 Shares

Common Stock

$1.00 par value per share

	This Prospectus relates to the offer and sale of 69,500 shares (the 
"Shares") of common stock, $1.00 par value per share (the "Common 
Stock"), of Ionics, Incorporated (the "Company" or "Ionics") which may be 
offered hereby from time to time by the selling stockholders named herein 
(the "Selling Stockholders") for their own benefit.  The Company will not 
receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the Shares of Common Stock 
by the Selling Stockholders.

	The Company's Common Stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange 
(NYSE) under the symbol "ION."  On February 20, 1996, the Closing price 
of the Common Stock on the NYSE was $38.62.
						
THESE SECURITIES HAVE NOT BEEN APPROVED OR DISAPPROVED BY THE
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES
COMMISSION NOR HAS THE SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE
COMMISSION OR ANY STATE SECURITIES COMMISSION
PASSED UPON THE ACCURACY OR ADEQUACY OF THIS 
PROSPECTUS.  ANY REPRESENTATION TO THE
CONTRARY IS A CRIMINAL OFFENSE. 
				 
         No person has been authorized to give any information or to make 
any representation other than those contained in this Prospectus in 
connection with the offering made hereby, and if given or made, such 
information or representation must not be relied upon as having been 
authorized by the Company or by any other person.  Neither the delivery 
of this Prospectus nor any sale made hereunder shall, under any 
circumstances, create any implication that information herein is correct 
as of any time subsequent to the date hereof.  This Prospectus does not 
constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of any offer to buy any 
security other than the securities covered by this Prospectus, nor does 
it constitute an offer to or solicitation of any person in any 
jurisdiction in which such offer or solicitation may not be lawfully 
made. Close

The date of this Prospectus is February 21, 1996

AVAILABLE INFORMATION

	The Company is subject to the informational requirements of the 
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and, in 
accordance therewith, files reports, proxy statements and other 
information with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the 
"Commission").  Such reports, proxy statements and other information are 
available for inspection and copying at the public reference facilities 
maintained by the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, NW, Room 1024, 
Washington, D.C. 20549, and at the following regional offices of the 
Commission: 7 World Trade Center, Suite 1300, New York, New York 10048 
and 500 West Madison Street, Suite 1400, Chicago, Illinois 60621.  Copies 
of such material can also be obtained from the Public Reference Section 
of the Commission at 450 Fifth Street, NW, Room 1024, Washington, D.C. 
20549 at prescribed rates.  In addition, reports, proxy statements and 
other information concerning the Company can be inspected and copied at 
the offices of the New York Stock Exchange, 20 Broad Street, New York, 
New York  10005.

	The Company will provide without charge to each person to whom a 
copy of this Prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request of 
such person, a copy of any and all of the information that has been 
incorporated by reference in this Prospectus and any registration 
statement containing this Prospectus (not including exhibits to the 
information that is incorporated by reference unless such exhibits are 
specifically incorporated by reference in the information that this 
Prospectus and any registration statement containing this Prospectus 
incorporates).  Such requests should be made Stephen Korn, Clerk, Ionics, 
Incorporated, 65 Grove Street, Watertown, Massachusetts 02172 (telephone:  
(617) 926-2500).

THE COMPANY

The Company's principal offices are located at 65 Grove Street, 
Watertown, MA  02172, and its telephone number is (617) 926-2500.

USE OF PROCEEDS 

The Company will not receive any of the proceeds from the sale of the 
Shares of Common Stock by the Selling Stockholders.

THE SELLING STOCKHOLDERS

	This Prospectus relates to possible sales by certain stockholders 
who are also non-employee directors of the Company of Shares issued 
pursuant to the exercise of options granted to such stockholders under 
the Company's 1986 Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors.

	The following table shows the name of each of the Selling 
Stockholders, the number of outstanding Shares of Common Stock of the 
Company beneficially owned by him as of February 15, 1996, and the number 
of Shares available for resale hereunder.  Because the Selling 
Stockholders may sell all or part of their Shares pursuant to this 
Prospectus, no estimate can be given as to the amount of Shares that will 
be held by each of them upon termination of this offering.


SELLING STOCKHOLDER TABLE


				Number of	Number of
				Shares		Shares Available
				Beneficially	for Sale
Name				Owned    	Hereunder 
						

William L. Brown		   9,000           7,000
Arnaud de Vitry d'Avaucourt	 175,500	  13,500
Lawrence E. Fouraker	    	  15,900	   9,500
Samuel A. Goldblith  	   	  13,500	  13,500
Robert B. Luick	   	 	  13,700	   3,500
John J. Shields	    		  12,480          11,500
Carl S. Sloane	     		   1,500	   1,000
Mark S. Wrighton	     	   3,100	   3,000
Allen S. Wyett	    	 	   9,150           7,000        

					
	



	The Shares offered hereby are being sold by each of the Selling 
Stockholders for his own account.  The Company will not receive any of 
the proceeds from this offering.

	The Shares have been listed on the New York Stock Exchange.  It is 
anticipated that the Selling Stockholders may from time to time make 
sales of all or part of the Shares of Common Stock covered by this 
Prospectus on the New York Stock Exchange at prices and terms prevailing 
at the time of any such sale.  Any such sales may be made through broker-
dealers acting as agents in ordinary brokerage transactions.  The Selling 
Stockholders will pay brokerage commissions or discounts with respect to 
the sale of Shares in amounts customary for the type of transaction 
effected.  In addition to sales under this Prospectus, the Selling 
Stockholder may also effect sales of Shares of Common Stock covered by 
this Prospectus pursuant to Rule 144 promulgated under the Act.  All the 
foregoing transactions will be made without payment of any underwriting 
commissions or discounts, other than the customary brokers' fees normally 
paid in connection with such transactions.  The Selling Stockholders will 
have the right to withdraw the offered Shares prior to sale.  There is no 
present plan of distribution.

INTEREST OF NAMED EXPERTS AND COUNSEL

	The validity of the shares of Common Stock offered hereby 
will be passed upon for the Registrant by Stephen Korn, Esq., Vice 
President and General Counsel of the Company.  Mr. Korn is the beneficial 
owner of 43,227 shares of Common Stock, including 41,800 shares of Common 
Stock in the form of presently exercisable stock options and 204 shares 
held in the Ionics Section 401(k) Stock Savings Plan.

INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE

	The following documents filed with the Commission are incorporated 
by reference in this Prospectus:

(a)	The Annual Report of the Company on Form 10-K for the fiscal year 
ended December 31, 1994.

(b)	The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the Quarters ended 
March 31, 1995, June 30, 1995, and September  30, 1995.

(c)	The section entitled "Description of Registrant's Securities to be 
Registered" contained in the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 
8-A, filed pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Exchange Act. 

(d)	All documents subsequently filed with the Commission by the Company 
pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act, 
prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that 
all securities offered herein have been sold or which deregisters all 
securities then remaining unsold, shall be deemed to be incorporated by 
reference in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the 
date of filing such documents.

INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

The Company is permitted by Massachusetts law and required by its By-laws 
to indemnify any director or officer or former director or officer 
against all expenses and liabilities reasonably incurred by him in 
connection with any legal action in which such person is involved by 
reason of his position with the Company unless he shall have been finally 
adjudicated in any action, suit or proceeding not to have acted in good 
faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interests 
of the Company.  Such indemnification shall include payment by the 
Company of expenses incurred in defending a civil or criminal action or 
proceeding in advance of the final disposition of such action or 
proceeding, upon the Company's receipt of the undertaking of the person 
indemnified to repay such payment if such person shall be adjudicated not 
entitled to such indemnification.

	Directors and officers are also insured up to an aggregate amount 
of $10 million under a Directors' and Officers' Liability and Company 
Reimbursement Policy.

	The Company's Restated Articles of Organization include a provision 
limiting the personal liability of directors of the Company to its 
stockholders for monetary damages for breaches of their fiduciary duty to 
the extent permitted by the Massachusetts Business Corporation Law.

	Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the 
Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and 
controlling persons of the Company pursuant to the foregoing provisions 
or otherwise, the Company has been advised that in the opinion of the 
Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public 
policy as expressed in the Securities Act of 1933 and is, therefore, 
unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification against 
such liabilities (other than the payment by the Company of expenses 
incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the 
Company in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is 
asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection 
with the securities being registered, the Company will, unless in the 
opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling 
precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question 
whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed 
in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and will be governed by the 
final adjudication of such issue.