MONTICELLO — The Monticello Board of Aldermen approved arecommendation Tuesday to add phosphates to the town’s watersupply.

The type of phosphate used will help clear the water bypreventing corrosion in the town’s iron and lead pipes, accordingto Mayor David Nichols.

“We have a lot of iron pipe and cast iron in the city,” saidBobby Selman, the town’s water and sewer department director.

The chemical, named Seaquest, will also help prevent corrosionin private pipes and copper and brass fixtures.

Some residents have experienced a brown taint in their water attimes, Nichols said, because of pipe corrosion. Seaquest isdesigned to stop that.

The mayor said the initial cost of adding the chemical to thewater supply is about $1,145. That includes $500 to purchase theequipment and the initial supply of chemicals. He estimated addingthe chemical to the water supply will cost about $8.97 a day, or$3,274 a year.

“People will notice a change,” he said, noting, however, that itwill take the chemical between three to six months to have anoticeable effect.

In other matters, the mayor asked the board to make a decisionon whether or not the town will take out terrorism insurance. Theissue was taken under advisement during a February meeting so theboard could research the matter.

The insurance, a $2,055 annual addendum to their current policy,would protect the city in the event of a terrorism act. It wouldcover damage done to buildings and city vehicles.

The board debated the subject last month at considerable length.At odds were the slim chance of a terrorist act occurring inMonticello versus the relatively low cost of the insurance and thefallout if a terrorist act did occur and they did not have theinsurance.

Nichols informed the board that he began checking into whatother municipalities had done and discovered that the MunicipalLeague and Magnolia had taken the proposal while Prentiss hadnot.

When Nichols asked for a motion to accept the proposal he didnot receive one and the insurance died on the table.

The board also rescinded an decision they made at the recessedmeeting last month. The board had voted then to apply for a FederalEmergency Management Association fire grant and request a new firetruck for the city.

Nichols said after consulting with Fire Chief Wayne Harrison,they determined the town needed equipment more than a new truck. Heasked the board to rescind their previous order to make a new onefor equipment.

The board voted to apply for a Cascade System (a truck mountedoxygen bottle resupply system), thermal imager, metal saw, a secondset of Jaws for Life and some turnout gear.

“The equipment will probably not exceed $90,000,” Nichols said.”Our matching funds on the grant would be about $9,000.”

The board approved the motion.