Residents of the Colorado town of Hugo have been told not to drink or shower in tap water because the community’s wells may be contaminated with the chemical in marijuana that makes people high.
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Later, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department indicated (also via Twitter) that “Health Officials Law Enforcement Officers, and Emergency Managers are all involved in this situation”, and added that bottled water would be arriving soon.
Recreational marijuana is legal in Colorado and officials have not been able to determine if it was an intentional contamination, Yowell said.
There were no reports of any residents experiencing symptoms, but the Colorado department of public health warned of the possibility of “impaired coordination and thinking” if THC-contaminated water was swallowed. More test results are expected Friday afternoon.
The well remains closed as investigators await more conclusive test results from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.
Drinking water containing THC would be similar to eating marijuana-infused food, meaning the effect would depend entirely on how much was consumed and the strength of the tainted water.
Concerns about the water were first raised by an unidentified Hugo-based company conducting “field tests” to check employees for THC, according to the Denver Post. This well is no longer feeding the town’s water supply, but it will take 48 hours for the water to cycle through.
The Hugo Public Works detected “evidence of THC”, the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office told the public. When tests results came back inconsistent, company officials chose to test a vial of tap water. This means THC and water separate just as oil and water do, preventing the cannabinoid of dissolving in the town’s water.
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The FBI, state and local officials are now looking at who could have tainted the well.
