FAQs

At this time, MassDEP is in the initial stages of the investigation to determine where the dumping occurred and what materials are now present. MassDEP initially focused its efforts on properties that use private water supply wells for drinking water and those properties that may have visible signs of waste material on or near the ground surface. MassDEP will prioritize these properties for sampling and evaluation. In addition, MassDEP is preparing an Action Plan to sample various locations along public right-of-ways to better define extent of contamination.

In general, contaminants can enter the body by drinking contaminated water, direct contact with contaminated soil or eating food grown in contaminated soil, or through inhalation of impacted air. It is important to note that if no exposure to the contaminant is occurring, there can be no risk to human health, animals or vegetation. If you observe suspect waste material on your property, MassDEP recommends refraining from digging on your property until an investigation is initiated and completed by 3 MassDEP. If contact with waste material or digging is necessary, it is recommended that you wear protective clothing including gloves to limit contact with potentially contaminated soils. 

Also, if you plan to dig, MassDEP requests that you notify the Town of Dartmouth’s Board of Health by contacting Mr. Christopher Michaud, Director of Public Health, at (508) 910-1804. If you have a private drinking water well, please contact MassDEP at 1-888-304-1133 for sampling. If your property receives its water from the municipal water supply system, exposure through drinking water, or other uses such as washing, is not a concern. At this time, MassDEP has not identified any contaminants that would pose an inhalation risk to residential indoor air.

Very limited analytical testing of the soil/waste material in the neighborhood has shown elevated concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB)s, total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH), lead, arsenic, barium, chromium, vanadium, and zinc. For this reason, MassDEP is developing an Action Plan to further the Department’s approach to gaining knowledge of historic dumping within this neighborhood.