The council announced in March it would consult the residents of Arrowtown, Glenorchy, Arthurs Point, Luggate and Lake Hawea about the proposal.
It has received dozens of submissions opposing the move, as well as petitions signed by hundreds of Glenorchy and Luggate residents.
Glenorchy resident Niki Gladding told councillors yesterday the community was ''absolutely unified'' in its opposition to the proposal. More than 150 residents have signed a petition.
Each water supply should be assessed individually, she said.
Improved monitoring and maintenance of the existing network were better options, Ms Gladding said.
''Our water is beautiful and we want you to ensure it stays that way. If we have to pay for that privilege, then give us the figures and let us decide.''
Another Glenorchy resident, Christine Kelly, said the community had taken a ''gutsy and democratic'' stand by accepting the risks of not chlorinating.
John Glover, of Kinloch, said there were better options for safeguarding Glenorchy's water, including upgrading the reservoir, installing an ultraviolet system and removing stock from near the bore head.
Arrowtown resident Erik Bradshaw said European countries such Switzerland, Denmark and the Netherlands were rejecting chlorination because of evidence it produced organic by-products that were carcinogenic.
Chlorination was a ''retrograde, easy option'', and council engineers should instead focus on proactive measures to protect the township's water source.
Mayor Jim Boult told Mr Bradshaw the council's responsibility to provide safe drinking water had been ''underscored by recent events in Havelock North'', and chlorination was the only ''fail-safe'' method currently available.
However, Mr Bradshaw said the council's proposal was based on an ''inferred argument'' from Havelock North, where authorities had acted with ''gross incompetence'', rather than specific evidence Arrowtown's water supply was at risk.
An E.coli contamination of the Hawke's Bay town's water supply last August caused a gastroenteritis outbreak that affected more than 5000 people.
In response to the Havelock North incident, Arrowtown and Hawea's water supplies were chlorinated throughout last summer as a temporary measure.
Chlorination ended two months ago, but resumed on May 19, after routine testing showed high coliform counts.
Wanaka and Queenstown's water supplies are already chlorinated.
