More toxins found in Hernando

---

The contaminated site backs up to a residential neighborhood in Brooksville.

There's new concern about the on-going cleanup of toxins at the old Department of Public Works site in Hernando County.

New testing has found more contamination, and this time it's close to a residential community in Brooksville. Homes in the neighborhood run along the back side of the county's old Department of Public Works site where a clean-up effort is underway after toxins were discovered in the ground.

Residents are concerned because a new batch of tests show more contamination has been found in a drainage ditch that runs between the old site and their homes. Consultants hired by the county to clean up the site said the toxins are petroleum by-products and they've added eight new areas of concern to their list.

Howard Delanie lives in one of the homes that's next to the site. He said he's worried about his grandchildren and other children who play in the neighborhood.

"We got grandkids and a bunch of kids live on that street and it's not good for them," Delanie said.

The consultant hired by the county said further testing is needed, but there are no immediate health risks to the residents.

County commissioners have approved another $89,000 to do more testing so they can find out the extent of the contamination. That brings the total the county has spent on its current consultant for the cleanup project to almost $200,000. Additional testing will begin in January and February.

More Hernando County Stories

• CFO of nursing home company arrested for embezzlement
• Hernando homeowners in rough as 2 golf courses close
• Two Bay area schools need votes to win online contest
• Health officials warning swimmers about deadly amoeba

Contact Bay News 9

• Story ideas for our Assignment Desk
• Comments on Bay News 9 or BayNews9.com
• Bay News 9 Now (our news alert system)
  
• Neighborhood News (tell us about your event)

• Listen live
• Employee blogs
• Widget
• More services

• Breaking news alerts
• RSS news feed
• Upload video

Select the size text you want to use to view www.baynews9.com from the choices below.

Want to go green?

Going green is all the rage these days. Check out our green pages on BayNews9.com.

• Energy saving tips
• Eating green
• County by county recycling

Bay News 9's Partners

Become An Asterisk Hunter!

At Bright House Networks, we prefer to keep things simple.

So the next time you're looking for TV, home phone and Internet service with a 30-day, money-back guarantee, but without the fine print surprises, call

1-866-976-EASY.

Learn more at AsteriskHunters.com.