The results are in, and they show the City of Alpena does not have asbestos in its water supply.

City Engineer Rich Sullenger reported to the Alpena Municipal Council on Monday that no asbestos was detected in the four water samples that were collected and sent to an Ann Arbor lab last month.

"It's indicative of what the state was telling us we'd probably see," Sullenger said.

The city has 23 sites that use asbestos-cement pipe, with a total of 16,720 feet - or 3.91 percent of the total length of the water system.

There has been concern expressed from some citizens that the asbestos from the pipes is getting into the city's water.

Asbestos, which is better known for causing health problems when airborne, is believed to be less dangerous if ingested. The Environmental Protection Agency allows for 7 million fibers of asbestos to be present in a liter of water.

The four sites where samples were collected were chosen because they were downstream of the asbestos pipes. The samples taken had collectively traveled through 35 percent of the city's asbestos pipes.

In his 17 years working for the city, Sullenger said this is the first time water had been tested for asbestos, though the issue came up every few years.

Each test cost $120, for a total of $480.

"For the money, I think it was worth it," Councilman Shawn Sexton said.

Councilman David Karschnick, who was the only council member to vote against the testing, said the issue was brought up by a small group of people who "make the noise." He said he was never concerned about cost but objected to testing for something the Michigan Department of Environmental Quality didn't require.

Because the city has so little asbestos piping compared to other communities in the state, and because these results came back showing no asbestos, United Water Utilities Manager Mike Glowinski said it is unlikely the city will be put on the DEQ's testing list.

In other business:

• city attorney Bill Pfeifer said the city would be able to sell the civic center without issue if voters allow it to do so. Pfeifer did a title search on the property and said there hasn't been any reversionary clauses or other stipulations on the property since 2003.

Voters will decide whether to allow the city to sell the property today.

• Target Alpena Executive Director Lee Shirey gave a quarterly report to the council. Shirey said in the past quarter, Target has given out three loans and received a $99,000 grant for a micro-lending program. He also said he has spoken to nine businesses interested in opening in the Alpena area.

"There's definitely a wide gamut of businesses looking to get started here in Alpena," he said.

Sean Harkins can be reached via e-mail at sharkins@thealpenanews.com or by phone at 358-5688.