Local, state and federal agencies likely spent more than $50,000 to respond to and clean up a small mercury spill two months ago in Twin Falls, officials said this week.

The mercury, just about two teaspoons’ worth, was found the week of Sept. 15 in a parking lot outside an apartment complex at 359 and 341 Pheasant Road W. Investigators later determined it came from several thermometers intentionally broken by kids, and one family had to be temporarily evacuated from a contaminated apartment.

A number of public entities responded to the incident, including the Twin Falls Fire Department, Idaho Department of Environ-mental Quality and South Central Public Health District, and submitted reimbursement requests to the Idaho Bureau of Homeland Security.

On Wednesday, response costs for state and local agencies were still being tallied. But they’re expected to come in between $25,000 and $30,000, said BHS spokesman Lt. Col. Tim Marsano.

In addition, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency spent about $26,000 to bring in contractors for assessments of the parking lot, eight apartment units and other nearby areas, including other homes. Only one homeowner denied the agency access, according to an EPA report. The money came out of an emergency-response budget authorized through the Superfund program.

Costs incurred at mercury cleanups can vary, said Greg Weidel with the EPA — the agency had to excavate some soil itself after a spill in Eagle last year. He said the money spent in Twin Falls was completely worth it. After all, EPA representatives had no idea how big of a mess they faced when they first showed up.

“And even a very small amount of mercury presents a hazard if it’s indoors, where it continues to give off vapors,” he said.

Staff with the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality racked up some overtime and other small costs, but didn’t consider the expenses enough to be worth tracking separately.

“We consider that part of our normal duties,” Tom Askew, a hazardous waste science officer in DEQ’s local office, said of the response work.

The one expense not picked up by the government was the cost of cleaning up a bedroom in the one apartment. That tab was picked up by the couple who own the apartments, Alex and Valerie Spence of Hagerman; they could not be reached by the Times-News over the past month.

Authorities said they don’t know what the contractor ended up charging the landlords, but praised the Spences for actively addressing the issue.

“They stepped up to the plate in taking care of the problem,” Askew said.