Council allocates $10,000 to East Shore Health to expand Farm River, Cedar Lake water testing after human‑waste detection

North Branford — The council voted June 16 to allocate $10,000 from current‑year contingency to the East Shore District Health Department to expand water‑quality sampling and microbial source tracking on the Farm River and at Cedar Lake.

Michael Pascilla, East Shore director of public health, and Sarah Etinger, the agency’s water‑quality coordinator, presented years of sampling that show persistently high E. coli levels at multiple locations along the Farm River within and upstream of North Branford. Etinger said initial microbial source tracking detected human markers at two downstream sites and that early 2026 sampling shows elevated counts earlier in the season than in prior years. East Shore said DNA‑based microbial source tracking costs roughly $800 per sample and that the requested funding covers the next phase of sampling targeted to North Branford sites.

Council members questioned whether the detected human waste represents an immediate public‑health threat to recreational users and anglers. East Shore replied that detection alone does not confirm pathogenic risk but that the agency is obligated to quantify levels, identify sources (failed septic systems, leaks, or illegal discharges) and, if warranted, recommend remediation steps. East Shore also described past grant funding and contributions from neighboring towns and foundations and said the $10,000 request was proportionate to North Branford’s share of the watershed study.

A motion to allocate $10,000 from contingency to East Shore Health passed after council discussion with one opposed vote and one abstention recorded. East Shore said additional actions, including follow‑up sampling and reporting to the council, will follow once results are available.