60 Fairfield Sites Tested For Contamination In 6 Weeks

Via the Town of Fairfield: FAIRFIELD, CT — The Fairfield Health Department on Friday issued the following update on environmental testing at the town's parks, school grounds and fields as well as a list of helpful links.

• At this time, only one portion of one field (Burroughs soccer field No. 1) remains closed due to environmental concerns.
• All other fields tested have been determined by the state Department of Public Health and Tighe & Bond to be safe for recreational use.
• In the past six weeks, a total of 60 areas (fields, playscapes, sidewalks, etc.) have been tested.
• Fifty areas are deemed safe for use and 49 are fully open to the public. (Holland Hill soccer field is closed due to school construction.)
• Eight areas (Burroughs field, certain school playscapes and some accessory areas) with exceedances above residential standards are being evaluated for remediation. With a sense of caution, the town and the school district are working with the state DPH, DEEP and Tighe & Bond to evaluate an appropriate course for remediation. At two of these sites, the exceedances are not related to aggregate fill.
• Two areas (Osborn Hill baseball field and the small playscape at Jennings school) are still pending test results. Testing of the small Jennings playscape is not related to aggregate fill.
• Twenty-one additional sites have been identified for further assessment and possible testing. The evaluation will begin within one to two weeks.

• Fill use issues webpage;
• Video clip of comments by CT Department of Health Epidemiologist Meg Harvey on safety and risk of exposure on recreational fields;
• Environmental testing scorecard list of locations and specific areas being evaluated;
• Fairfield Public Schools' field testing updates webpage.

We will continue to keep you updated on progress and the safety of our town fields.

Questions?

Contact: Fairfield Health Department

fillusequestions@fairfieldct.org

203-256-3020

Background: In early August of 2019, a complaint made to the Fairfield Police Department led to the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection conducting testing at Gould Manor Park. This was related to the use of potentially contaminated fill during a curb and sidewalk replacement at the park in 2013. The fill was from the Julian Enterprises managed aggregate fill pile at the Department of Public Works yard. That event initiated an investigation into all sites that may have received fill materials during the 2013 to 2016 time period in which Julian Enterprises managed the fill pile. Nineteen sites including school and recreational sports fields were initially tested. In addition, the Fairfield Public Schools decided to test all remaining school fields and playscapes out of an abundance of caution.