LITTLETON, Colo. — The City of Littleton has closed the Bemis Public Library after meth was detected in the bathrooms, the city announced Wednesday.
This is the third library to close due to meth contamination since Dec. 22.
Boulder closed its main library last month after meth reside was found in its restrooms and seating area. It reopened nearly three weeks later, and the cleaning cost the city $225,000.
Following Boulder's testing, the City of Englewood decided to test its library and civic center on Jan. 6. The tests came back positive for meth contamination, forcing the temporary closure of the Englewood Public Library and parts of the Englewood Civic Center.
Following Boulder and Englewood, Littleton city officials decided to proactively test the library. "Elevated levels" of meth were detected in the library's main floor women's and men's bathroom exhaust fans, as well as in the lower-level family bathroom, according to officials.
The city has closed the library to test the entire building as well as decontaminate the impacted areas.
“The safety of our employees and library patrons is our first priority,” Littleton City Manager Jim Becklenberg said in a statement. “According to our partners at Arapahoe County Public Health, health risks to the public are considered low but we want to make sure our building is as safe as can be before we reopen it."
It is unknown when the library will reopen.
