After contamination was found in well water at Cove Point Lighthouse in Lusby in May, Calvert County government said Thursday it found "no detectable traces of diesel range organic compounds," and the contamination is limited to the lighthouse.
In June, county government notified the public that water samples from the lighthouse’s rental facility were found to contain diesel range organics or petroleum hydrocarbon at a level that’s above the state’s reporting standard.
The Maryland Department of the Environment advised visitors to drink bottled water while staying at the facility “out of an abundance of caution” when additional information is collected.
Since the news broke, some nearby residents expressed concern over whether their well water is contaminated as well.
The county said its Department of Public Works’ water and sewerage division staff drew water samples from nine homes in the vicinity and submitted them to an independent laboratory for testing.
"The results indicate the water contamination is limited to the lighthouse property," county government said in a release Thursday.
The contamination at the lighthouse was first identified in a water sample collected by the Coast Guard from the onsite drinking water well on May 8.
The water sample was taken as part of the Coast Guard’s property transfer process as required by federal law.
The well was later retested, and contamination levels were confirmed on May 18.
Under the Coast Guard ownership, the lighthouse site once included several above-ground and underground fuel tanks, according to the release.