Tibbetts Road

Overview

The Tibbetts Road site is a 2-acre property in Barrington, New Hampshire where solvent-containing drums were stored and transported between 1944 and 1958. EPA added the site to the National Priorities List in June 1986 after discovering leaking, rusted drums and widespread contamination. Cleanup construction finished in September 1998, and the site has been in long-term monitoring ever since.

Forty-four contaminants of concern have been identified across groundwater, soil, sediment, and surface water. Groundwater contains volatile organic compounds including trichloroethene, tetrachloroethene, benzene, toluene, and xylene, along with heavy metals such as arsenic, lead, and chromium. Soil contains polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, phthalate esters, and Aroclor 1260, a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mixture. Sediment and surface water show contamination from benzene, toluene, trichloroethene, and DDT, among others.

Ford Motor Company, the potentially responsible party, operates a drinking water treatment plant built in 1986 to serve 45 affected homes. Earlier cleanup steps included removing 337 drums in 1984, excavating and incinerating contaminated soil, and running a groundwater vacuum extraction system from 1995 to 1997 that pulled out over 800 pounds of contamination. Since 1998, 1,600 poplar trees have been used to reduce groundwater flow and support natural breakdown of remaining contaminants. A 2015 pilot test using directed groundwater recirculation proved less effective than natural attenuation and was stopped. In 2025, the potentially responsible party conducted additional sampling, with results expected in 2026.

Human exposure and groundwater migration are both under control. All cleanup goals for current and anticipated future land uses have been met, and the site achieved sitewide ready for anticipated reuse status in November 2008. Institutional controls, including zoning restrictions, remain in place to prevent incompatible land uses and protect cleanup infrastructure. The most recent five-year review was completed August 15, 2023, with the next review estimated between August and October 2028.

Community members can review site records at the Barrington Public Library or at the EPA Region 1 records center in Boston, Massachusetts. Questions about land use restrictions or cleanup status can be directed to the Community Involvement Coordinator or the Remedial Project Manager. The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services also serves as a state contact.