EPA Superfund Site

CENTREDALE MANOR RESTORATION PROJECT

RI | EPA ID RID981203755

About this site’s exposure pathways: As of December 2024, the Centredale Manor Restoration Project Superfund site is considered "Current Human Exposure Not Under Control" because nearby residents and recreational users of the Woonasquatucket River are reasonably anticipated to be exposed to unacceptable levels of dioxin and other contaminants through contact with sediment in the river and floodplain. Ingestion of fish from the Woonasquatucket River also poses an unacceptable risk. The river and riverbank are active recreational areas. This Human Exposure Control determination is based primarily on risk assessment(s) prepared for the site that took concentration of chemicals present and the frequency/duration of exposure to these chemicals, among other things, into account. EPA has removed some contaminated soil located in the backyards of some residences immediately adjacent to the river and installed fences restricting access to contaminated sediment in these areas. EPA has also capped the source area of contamination, reconstructed the Allendale Dam, and excavated other source material that was contributing to groundwater contamination in order to prevent further migration of contamination. The primary component of the remedy outlined in the Record of Decision (ROD) calls for excavation of a large volume of contaminated material, and the remedy is expected to be completed in 2028.

A Rhode Island Department of Public Health fishing advisory has been in place since the mid-1990s. EPA continues to work with the Woonasquatucket River Watershed Council to develop annual fact sheets that remind residents about using the river responsibly. EPA also holds periodic dialogue forums with community groups, local citizens, elected officials, and state and federal agencies to discuss the cleanup for the site.