Eight Odenton families whose wells have been contaminated with weed killer will be hooked up to public water supplies at no charge, county officials said yesterday.
The county will waive the $4,650 public water hookup fee for each family and will pay the plumbing costs of connecting the homes to the water main, said Lisa Ritter, a spokeswoman for the county land use office, yesterday.
The county also will expedite the hookup process, which can take up to two months, and that could put the families on public water by the end of the year.
The goal, according to a statement issued by County Executive Robert R. Neall's office, is to provide affected homes with a source of safe drinking water as quickly as possible.
The county will seek reimbursement for connecting the homes to the water main that runs along Old Waugh Chapel Road, "but we don't know from whom because it has not been determined where the atrazine is coming from. We will not be seeking it from the homeowners," Ms. Ritter said.
In September and October, it was found that wells on five properties along Old Waugh Chapel Road had been contaminated with enough of the week killer atrazine, a suspected carcinogen, to reach or exceed federal drinking water standards. Three other wells were found to be tainted with atrazine at lower levels, Ms. Ritter said.
Fort Meade, which is being investigated as a possible source of the atrazine, and the Maryland Department of the Environment have supplied some of the families with bottled water.
Federal guidelines say drinking water should contain less than 3 parts per billion of atrazine. Harold Lehtma, whose well has 8 parts per billion, said he will check with a lawyer before accepting the county's offer.
"I've been drinking this water for 24 years," he said, wondering whether health problems in his family might be related to the pollution. He said he wants to make sure that accepting the county's offer doesn't prevent him from taking legal action.
The county, which made its offer yesterday, will send the homeowners letters next week explaining that they must sign a letter giving the county and its contractors permission to go on their property if they want the work done.
The homeowners cannot simply have a deeper well dug to try to avoid the pollution. The Health Department requires homeowners with failed wells to hook up to public water if it is available.