Mercury still high in East Lyme Pond

East Lyme, Conn (WTNH) - Dodge pond in East Lyme looks rather serene, but for 16 years people have been banned from eating any fish caught there because of high mercury levels. The question now is, does that underwater threat still exist?

"We have residents living nearby. We have a well nearby, so it's a great concern for us," said East Lyme First Selectman Paul Formica.

The last time the state tested Dodge Pond was 1995, when it tested about fifty others. Mercury levels were unsafe, and since then only fish have been tested, but not the lake. The levels in the fish are lower, but still unsafe.

"If you look down there now there's nobody around the lake, and that's why," said Eleanor Talley of East Lyme.

Talley says when her daughter was young people would always gather around the pond, but now her grandsons are among only a few who use it.

"Me and Jordan, we love it down there. I mean, it's a great place to go fishing," said Dylan Vojick from East Lyme.

You just can't eat them. Formica says the navy, which has run its underwater acoustic testing facility for 65 years there, is now testing the pond, looking at levels, and who's responsible.

"The navy's been there since 1946, so we want to know if the navy and the mercury are connected. Are the higher levels of mercury connected or not? And if they're not, then we understand that it's a statewide mercury issue," Formica said.

When asked if he would go swimming in Dodge pond if the mercury levels were low, Jordan Vojick replied, "Pretty much."

Testing at Dodge Pond began June 13th, and is expected to continue for the next couple of weeks. After that the navy will spend the next few months analyzing those samples. Results aren't expected until ice is already formed on this pond sometime in February.