Fairfield And Bridgeport Partner On Rooster River Cleanup Project

FAIRFIELD, CT — The public works departments of Fairfield and Bridgeport are teaming up on a project to clear debris and trash from the Rooster River, which serves as the border between the two communities.

Debris, trash, fallen tree branches and other items will be cleared starting at the access point on Dora Circle that have long obstructed the flow of the river and exacerbated flooding in some areas.

"Rooster River flooding has been a long time concern for the Fairfield community," said Fairfield First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick in an emailed statement to Patch. "We are appreciative to be working together with the City of Bridgeport in an effort to mitigate flooding through this cleanup, while we wait for the federal permitting to continue the more substantial mitigation efforts we are working on."

Fairfield is looking at using federal funds to help pay for flood mitigation work along the river. In 2021, several properties along the river were flooded by the remnants of Hurricane Ida.

Bridgeport’s Public Facilities Department will be transporting all collected trash and transporting it to an approved location for disposal, according to officials. Sediment collected from the river is being checked to ensure it is not hazardous or a contaminant to the local environment surrounding the river, and soil samples are also being tested.

"I'm very pleased to know that the Rooster River is being cleared in time for the upcoming spring season," said Bridgeport Mayor Joseph Ganim in a statement. "This will greatly assist with any possible flooding during periods of heavy rain we're expecting to receive over the next few months."