"I drink the water every day," he remarked. The city, however, is taking steps to prevent further failed water samples. At Tuesday night's board meeting, aldermen voted to follow Cochran Engineering's recommendation to install a gas chlorine injection system. This week's unanimous approval from the board was the next step in the process to install a chlorinating system to the city's water supply. On Jan. 6, aldermen had approved the hiring of Cochran Engineering to assess the water system. "We're at that point where the Department of Natural Resources will not allow us to do what we're doing and continue to get bad tests back though we don't feel is at at dangerous levels," Mayor Greg Costello said. Using the gas system will cost the city $87,000 upfront, while the liquid method had a initial price of $61,800. But over the 10-year span, the gas system will cost $302,292 to operate compared to an estimate of $674,576 for the liquid system. The city has budgeted $94,000 for the project this fiscal year, according to Hamlin. The city issued a press release Feb. 24 assuring residents the city's water supply was safe to use. While the city's failed water samples contained excessive levels of total coliform, Hamlin emphasized second tests were performed to ensure the drinking supply was safe and no forms of E. coli or fecal coliform were present. In the release, it recommended water customers with weakened immune systems, infants or some elderly to consult with their physicians about drinking the water. The city also had water samples fail in October and November, the only two months to do so in 2008. The last time water samples failed was April 2005. When the city fails a test, it is required by DNR to notify its water customers. Hamlin though is unsure whether the failed samples were caused by bacteria present in the water. When the city collects samples monthly at seven different locations throughout the city, he said all it takes is a wind gust to carry a speck of dirt into the 100-millimeter test bottle provided by the state. "Although the samples are indicative of what is in the water, it's not always 100 percent accurate," Hamlin remarked. "It can be operator error, it can be a sample tap issue. It's a test where a lot of things can go wrong." He said DNR staff have overseen city staff as they take water samples and offered advice to correct the problem. Hamlin said the DNR is leaning toward making it mandatory for water distribution systems across the state to handle chlorine. Cochran Engineering will submit plans and specifications on the new system to DNR in 30 days and a permit should be issued within another 45-60 days. Once aldermen approve bids, city employees will install the system and it should be completed in the summer. He added that once the chlorine system is in place, residents may notice a taste and odor difference but it should wear off within a month. "It's the right way to go," Hamlin said. "It gives us that assurance that we have a protection in there if something potentially goes wrong."