DENVER (KDVR) -- The Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment said Monday that there is no evidence of imminent public health threats after it found manipulated quality control data within the water testing program.
The department said that it is conducting an ongoing investigation into quality assurance processes within the state water testing program.
Investigative media reports from November say that a state-employed chemist was placed on administrative leave in February pending an investigation into the allegedly manipulated data. The chemist was reportedly with the agency for over 20 years and resigned in May, according to media reports.
On Monday, the state health department said it identified a second chemist who had manipulated quality control data that contributed to "lapses in method 200.7, which tests for certain metals in water." According to the Environmental Protection Agency, those metals include arsenic, thallium and vanadium.
"The integrity of our laboratory operations is our top priority," said Dr. Ned Calonge, chief medical officer of CDPHE, in a release. "We are taking swift and decisive action to address this issue, including fully evaluating the culture and practices of the lab."
CDPHE said that the laboratory director "promptly" placed the chemist on administrative leave.
Additionally, CDPHE has temporarily suspended water testing in the State Laboratory's chemistry program as a precautionary measure. The department said that it is working with the EPA to determine its next steps and that at this time, "there is no evidence of an imminent threat to public health."
CDPHE implemented the following contingency plans Monday to minimize disruptions in environmental monitoring:
Further information about the chemist placed on leave, the water testing program and the manipulated data was not provided Monday.