Initial Tests Find Contaminants In Groundwater Near Brentwood Park
BRENTWOOD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Initial tests on the groundwater near a Long Island park allegedly used as an illegal dumping site have found contaminants.
The water near Roberto Clemente Park in Brentwood contained elevated levels of lead, cobalt and zinc, WCBS 880's Sophia Hall. The report by Enviroscience Consultants Inc. of Ronkonkoma, however, cautioned that no definitive connections could be drawn from the tests. All groundwater is treated to remove contaminants, and no contaminants have been found in public wells so far, Newsday reported.
More tests will be conducted.
Initial Tests Find Contaminants In Groundwater Near Brentwood Park
Marie Zmroczek. who lives a stone's throw from the park, said that after 40 years of living in her home she's ready to leave.
"I want it taken care of," she told Hall. "I'm at the point now that I really want to get out of here, but that's not helping the people that are here."
Zmroczek said when she turned on her faucet the other day, all she saw was brown water.
"I'm concerned, especially for my grandchildren, and my dog. I only put water in (the dog's bowl) because I don't trust it," she said.
Last month, prosecutors on Long Island filed criminal charges against six people following an investigation into the dumping.
Former Islip town Parks Commissioner Joseph J. Montuori Jr. and his former executive secretary, Brett A. Robinson, are accused of looking the other way as haulers poisoned park soil.
Montuori allegedly told investigators he planned to cover the debris with top soil to hide it from view.
Thomas Datre Jr., the alleged mastermind, is accused of hauling the demolition debris from New York City — avoiding costly legal disposal — and dumping more than 1,700 truckloads at four Long Island sites.
Prosecutors began investigating last spring after investigators discovered about 50,000 tons of debris laced with asbestos, pesticides and other material at Islip-owned Roberto Clemente Park in Brentwood.
Illegal dumping was later found at a housing development for returning military veterans and at two vacant lots in the town.
All six defendants have pleaded not guilty.
