Medford officials worried about water used to grow pot

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — The Medford Water Commission is concerned that commercial marijuana growers might be illegally taking water from municipal sources.

The Mail Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/2hQq7rB ) that the commission is studying how much water is being used at filling stations in White City and Medford to see if increased marijuana production has had an impact. Officials are also hoping to determine if there are ways to police the water usage.

The commission will install water meters on fire hydrants at construction sites. Local contractors can get permission to use the hydrants, but the commission has gotten reports that other water trucks are also filling up.

Commission member Bob Strosser says the board needs to look at its policies and come up with clear and definitive guidelines on using water from filling stations.

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Information from: Mail Tribune, http://www.mailtribune.com/