Lincoln County authorities say they’ve found signs that a water well in the town of Hugo, about 15 miles southeast of Limon, has been tampered with after preliminary tests showed the psychoactive chemical in marijuana was present in the drinking water.
Residents of Hugo were told Thursday not to drink the water or shower in it because of evidence of THC, marijuana’s intoxicating ingredient. Micki Trost, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Division of Emergency Management says that state investigators were quickly dispatched to the scene.
Lincoln County Public Health Director Susan Kelly says, so far, no illnesses have been linked to the suspected contamination. She says bottled water is being trucked in, and a tanker full of water is on the way.
Sheriff’s Capt. Michael Yowell says only field tests have been conducted on the water, but more extensive testing is underway. He says the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the FBI are also responding and will help with the case.
Hugo, a community of about 730 people, prohibits marijuana cultivation, product manufacturing, testing facilities, and retail stores.
