The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has ruled out the presence of THC [1] in the water supply of Hugo, CO [2], but the identity of the contaminating compound has not yet been resolved or disclosed. I have a few thoughts though, which I will post later today.
Side note: Incident Management
Due to the nature of the suspected contaminant (the unlikelihood of THC), there has been some tacit criticism on social media about how this situation was handled by local officials. As mentioned in a previous post, the Duquenois–Levine test creates spurious results, but this is also not widely known. In my opinion, the Hugo water incident was handled very effectively, and with the utmost regard for the well-being of the town's residents. In just 48 hours:
- The physical origin of the contamination and possible cause were identified;
- The community was immediately notified and steps were taken to minimize possible harm;
- Further analysis was ordered and undertaken;
- The situation was effectively concluded by this morning
If you require an example of how water contamination issues should *not* be handled, please read about Flint, MI [3]. In Hugo, the coordinated efforts of the Department of Public Works, Dr. John Fox of the Lincoln Community Hospital and Care Center, and Captain Michael Yowell of Lincoln County Sheriff's Office, were nothing short of commendable.
References
1. Healy, J., A Colorado Town Tests Positive for Marijuana (in Its Water), in The New York Times. 2016.
2. Villanueva, R., Hugo water tests negative for THC. 2016, Channel 9 News, KUSA.
3. Graham, D.A., What Did the Governor Know About Flint's Water, and When Did He Know It?, in The Atlantic. 2016.