Date: Fri 07-May-1999

Publication: Bee

Author: ANDYG

Quick Words:

state-salt-shed-Fairfield-Hill

Full Text:

Local Officials Press For Monitoring Wells For State Salt Shed

BY ANDREW GOROSKO

To detect potential road salt contamination of the nearby Pootatuck Aquifer,

the town is pressing the state Department of Transportation (DOT) to install

groundwater quality monitoring wells near a Fairfield Hills site where DOT

plans to build a road salt storage shed.

The state plans to build a high-roofed road salt storage shed on a two-acre

site off Old Farm Road, just west of Fairfield Hills' former sewage treatment

plant. Road salt would be mixed with sand and placed in dump trucks inside the

shed during winter storms as an environmental precaution.

The site is not in the 185-acre core campus of Fairfield Hills which is for

sale by the state, nor is the site in the town's Aquifer Protection District

(APD), but it is near it.

DOT representatives described the salt shed construction project to residents

at an April 29 public information meeting.

First Selectman Herbert Rosenthal said he supports having groundwater quality

monitoring wells in place near the planned road salt shed to detect potential

salt contamination of the Pootatuck Aquifer.

Conservation Commission Chairman Sandra Michaud said the facility planned by

DOT is clearly better than the arrangement the state now uses at Fairfield

Hills for salt storage and mixing. But DOT should install two groundwater

quality monitoring wells between the planned salt shed and a brook to detect

possible groundwater contamination by salt, she said.

The town would be willing to assume the costs associated with groundwater

quality monitoring, Ms Michaud said.

"I think it's about time the state should start installing monitoring wells in

cases like this," she said.

Resident Mae Schmidle of Echo Valley Road asked what steps DOT will take to

protect water in the Pootatuck Aquifer.

Town Conservation Official C. Stephen Driver asked whether DOT would allow the

town to install the monitoring wells at its own cost on state land.

Bradley Smith, DOT's manager of state design, said he doesn't expect the state

would allow the town to install monitoring wells on state land.

Mr Driver asked why the state would not allow the town to spend town money to

protect the aquifer's water quality.

The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has determined the

planned salt shed does not pose pollution hazards to the aquifer, Mr Smith

replied, adding that if DEP considered such monitoring wells necessary, they

would be required for such a project.

More salt pollution originates from the roads where salt is spread than will

ever emanate from the planned salt shed area, Mr Smith said.

Mrs Schmidle said, "We're concerned about the aquifer and the protection of

the aquifer, and we feel the monitoring wells are absolutely necessary."

State Rep Julia Wasserman urged that DOT officials inform their superiors of

the local desire for monitoring wells.

DOT has not performed groundwater quality monitoring at any of the 60 salt

sheds in has built in the past decade, Mr Smith said. "We feel that what we

have (designed) is not going to result in any problems," he said.

Ms Michaud observed "They don't want to hear it and it makes you wonder why."

"It's a couple of thousand dollars (for wells) against a million" dollars for

the salt shed, she said.

Mr Driver said May 3, "It became very apparent DOT doesn't want to install or

allow the installation of monitoring wells that the town has asked for."

"Why in the world would you absolutely preclude that (well installation), if

the town would be willing to do that (spending)," he asked.

DOT officials said they will provide Mr Driver with technical documents for

review.

Presentation

In a presentation on the planned salt storage shed, John Waleszczyk, DOT's

project manager, said DOT uses "best management practices" when designing and

operating salt facilities.

A new salt shed is needed to replace the existing substandard salt storage

building at Fairfield Hills which has a dirt floor, he said. The inadequacy of

existing facilities requires sand and salt to be mixed outdoors, he said. The

new facility would be circled by an eight-foot tall fence with a locked gate,

he said.

The state's salt shed program was established to protect the environment, Mr

Waleszczyk said, adding the facility would have little or no impact on the

surrounding area.

Mrs Wasserman pointed out that the property line for a 22-acre parcel along

Deep Brook which the state deeded to the town is very close to the site for

the salt shed.

To prevent environmental problems, the planned road salt shed site would be

enclosed by curbing to direct drainage into stormwater catch basins and "gross

particle separators." Drainage would be diverted to a brook, Mr Smith said.

Salt is stored indoors to prevent stormwater runoff from carrying dissolved

salt onto the ground, Mr Smith said. Indoor salt storage reduces potential

environmental contamination, he said.

"Our salt shed program is recognized as one of the best in the Northeast," Mr

Waleszczyk said.

DOT plans provide for construction of a gable-arch, barn-like salt shed that

is 45 feet wide, 96 feet long and 35 feet tall. The height of the buildings

allows payloaders and dump trucks to work under cover.

DOT plans to start construction of the salt shed in October with completion

scheduled for February 2000.