Buying bottled water for their guests after a boil order was instituted Monday is just another unusual task for Jeff and Lisa Ohlinger as they settle into their roles as new owners of the Elk Horn Lodge in Cooke City.

The Department of Environmental Quality announced the boil order after monthly tests indicated the possible presence of E-coli contamination in the town's water supply.

Cooke City's water system is drawn from shallow, subsurface springs that are subject to surface water contamination, said Jerry Burns, engineering manager of the DEQ's Billings office. The springs are believed to be the likely source of E-coli contamination, he said. Five future tests will have to rule out the presence of any contaminants in order for the boil order to be lifted, along with any sanitary deficiencies.

The town of about 100 people sits on the northeast border of Yellowstone National Park along Highway 212 and is a popular stop for summer tourists.

It's not the first time the town has been through a boil order. In 2002, residents and business owners faced similar restrictions. And in past years, despite often heavy snowfall, the spring has run dangerously low, forcing the town to use and treat surface water.

"It's just a minor thing," Lisa Ohlinger said. "We're from West Virginia, we're pretty adaptable people."

The Ohlingers bought the Elk Horn Lodge from Suzy and Jason Hahn after the aluminum plant they worked for laid them off, along with about 700 other workers. So the Ohlingers packed up a U-Haul and started their new lives in Montana's highest city - elevation 7,608 feet - at the end of May.

Luckily for the family, and other town residents and businesses, Cooke City's new water system could be online by September if construction that started last year is finished on time. The $3.17 million system will include three new wells, a new steel holding tank and some new service lines. The system will be metered.

The boil order requires residents to boil tap water for three to five minutes before it is potable. Suggestions on DEQ's Web site also urge caution when bathing and discourage bathing young children, since they may ingest some of the water.

Contact Brett French at french@billingsgazette.com or at 657-1387.