Authorities say no pot chemical in city’s water

“It would take more product than any of us could afford to contaminate a city water supply to the extent that people would suffer any effects”, Lincoln County Health Officer, Dr. John Fox, said in a statement.

For now, authorities are warning residents not to use tap water until further testing is completed.

Yowell said the company, which he did not identify, had been getting inconsistent results and chose to test a vial of tap water, expecting it to be negative.

Lincoln County sheriff’s Capt. Mike Yowell says more tests were done and an independent chemist tested the water.

“Our primary focus of course in the town of Hugo, and throughout Lincoln County, is on the health and safety of our residents”, said the Lincoln County Public Health Director, Susan Kelly.

THC does not dissolve easily in water, meaning if the test results were correct in showing TCH, there was a low chance anyone would experience the symptoms of a high. Contaminated water is still safe for bathing, showering, brushing teeth, washing hands, and doing laundry, officials say.

The Colorado Bureau of Investigation was called to collect samples for laboratory tests on Thursday.

Hugo, CO, a town of about 730 people, located 110 miles from Denver on the Eastern Plaints has reported its municipal water has tested posiive for THC, marijuana’s main psychoactive ingredient. The county will continue distributing bottled water till 10 p.m. Friday night.

“… when you have a presumptive positive of THC in our water supply, we take that very seriously”, he said.

Reuters news agency quoted an owner of a licensed cannabis testing facility in Denver, saying he was sceptical of the reports.

He said it is “virtually impossible to find THC in water”.

Department of Public Health and Environment spokesman Mark Salley sought to ease public concern over the contamination, reinforcing that consuming the tainted water would be extremely unlikely to cause detrimental health effects.

Former mayor, Patsie Smith, jokingly told the Denver Post that she “might have to go drink some water” after the possible THC poisoning was announced.