Lejeune spokesman Nat Fahy said elemental mercury was found Saturday in the pipe at Hadnot Point Water Treatment Plant during maintenance. He said Friday that tests conducted after the discovery showed none of the elemental mercury in the water.

 

The plant will stay offline during repairs.

 

Fahy says about 1 pint of mercury, weighing 8 pounds, was found. Water pressure meters containing elemental mercury were removed from the plant in the 1980s and replaced with digital meters.

 

Elemental mercury is found in items such as thermometers and fluorescent bulbs. The Environmental Protection Agency says it's generally not found in elevated levels in drinking water.