Residents raise water-safety concerns after blasting begins at Royce Brook site

Residents near the Royce Brook property told the Hillsborough Township Committee on Jan. 14 that recent daily blasting at the Toll Brothers development is shaking homes and may threaten private well water, and they urged the township to require testing for PFAS — a class of persistent chemicals that some speakers said have appeared in nearby water samples.

The concern was raised during the meeting’s public-comment period by several neighbors who said blasts are occurring around midday and produce noticeable vibration. "My Christmas tree — ornaments falling off my Christmas tree — and I'm not exaggerating," said Doug Eden, a Hillsborough resident. He added that the neighborhood’s wells draw water from an aquifer he said could be disturbed by 30-foot drill holes and charges being set in bedrock.

Neighbors asked that the township and health department arrange testing beyond what developers have provided. "We were concerned about our drinking water... now they're drilling 30 feet down, placing charges in the ground," Eden said, adding that he had requested a baseline retest for 19 local homes that were tested in 1996.

Tim Varocco, another neighbor who identified himself as having reviewed public data, said recent reports show a high percentage of wells with exceedances in the study grid linked to the golf-course property. "The exceedances were came through at 41.2% of the wells tested," Varocco said, urging the township to communicate results and expand testing.

Thomas Burke, a licensed site remediation professional who spoke during public comment, said PFAS have been found at other golf-course sites and recommended that monitoring wells on the property be tested for PFAS. "PFAS are widely prevalent. They're associated with chemicals that are used at golf courses," Burke said.

Mayor Matthew Ciccarelli and Administrator Anthony Ferreira responded that the township has required monitoring tied to planning-board approvals and that the state controls blasting permits and on-site oversight. Ciccarelli said state blasting oversight includes seismographs and that he had seen a seismograph reading of "0.14 on the Richter scale," which he said was well below regulatory limits. Ferreira said he had replied to recent emails about blasting and that the township’s health department has been in contact with relevant parties.

Committee members acknowledged residents’ concerns and said they would follow up internally. Committeewoman Robin Hand, who asked for clarification about PFAS testing and costs, said she would request more details from the township health department and staff; Administrator Ferreira said staff had already been working with counsel and with the state on portions of the file and would continue to do so.

Several residents said they had not received timely responses to emails and asked for clearer, two‑way communication from township offices. Eric Eden, who said he moved to the neighborhood two years ago and has young children, told the committee: "We're just asking for help — if there's any way you guys can look into that and just figure out a way to do what's best for the community."

Officials emphasized limits to local authority: Ciccarelli said blasting is regulated and permitted by state agencies and that the township’s authority is constrained to enforcement of project conditions set at approval and to observation by township inspectors. Several speakers asked the committee to press for PFAS testing and better public notice of blasting schedules.

The township committee did not take a formal vote on new testing requirements during the meeting. Committee members said they would coordinate follow-up with the health department and counsel to determine what additional testing or communication the township can require or request from the developer.

The meeting record shows multiple residents requested retesting of previously sampled wells and asked the township to disclose monitoring results to all neighbors. Committee members asked staff to compile a response and to coordinate with the board of health and the township’s environmental staff. The committee did not set a timeline during the public meeting.

Ending: Residents affected by the blasts urged immediate action and clearer updates; township officials said they would continue to work with the health department, counsel and state regulators and would report back on what additional monitoring or notice could be required or requested.