Swampscott water tower site clean-up nears completion

SWAMPSCOTT – After years of remediation, work is nearly complete on the water tower site.The site was contaminated with lead back in the 1990s when the water tower was sanded and repainted by an outside contractor. Department of Public Works Director Gino Cresta said the $300,000 project removed the contaminated soil and gave the entire area a face lift.”We just have a small punch list to sign off on,” he said. “Top soil was put down last fall and the area was seeded. Some of the grass didn’t take and the company is coming in to take care of that and we’re done.”Cresta said earlier remediation efforts brought the site into compliance with Department of Environmental Protection mandates but the town went one step beyond what was required by the DEP.He said the town removed the remainder of the contaminated soil and graded the area.”Adding two feet of clean top soil helped address remediation issues,” he said. “We made it level and a new retaining wall was built.”Cresta added the site has been an eyesore for years and improvements were needed.”A new chain link fence was installed around the property,” he said. “We’ve done some landscaping and made general improvements to the area. It’s a big improvement over what was there.”Cresta said the town has been promising the neighborhood it would install a new fence for years and he is pleased the project is completed.Cresta said the town would have additional storage space near the tower if it were ever needed and the entire area would continue to be secure.”It will continue to be a secure site,” he said. “Trespassing is not allowed on the site.”