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Find neuropathy relief with doctors preferred treatment for neuropathy in legs and feet in New Castle, DE

For many Americans, living with neuropathy is one of the greatest challenges they face. Present in about 8% of people around the world, neuropathy - or peripheral neuropathy, to be more accurate - can affect anybody. In the United States alone, there are more than 40 million people with neuropathy, with health costs surpassing $4 billion each year. Approximately 10% of people over 40 years of age get neuropathy, as do 50% of diabetics and 20% of patients receiving cancer chemotherapy. In fact, the number of people with neuropathy is only increasing as diabetes becomes more common, the population ages and people with HIV/AIDS live longer.

While some patients have a higher risk of developing specific types of peripheral neuropathy, it does not discriminate between race, sex, age, personal circumstances, or medical history. Fortunately, neuropathy awareness is growing, and by proxy, so are new treatment options. If you've been suffering from the symptoms of neuropathy and are in search of a solution, Kennedy Health Clinic can help with our doctors preferred treatment for neuropathy in legs and feet in New Castle, DE. From advanced therapies to state-of-the-art technology, we utilize the latest advancements in pain management to help you regain your quality of life.

But to truly understand how neuropathy treatment can help, it's important to first understand the disease and how it affects your nervous system.

Peripheral neuropathy is a term used to describe nerve disorders that affect a specific part of your nervous system. There are several conditions that can lead to peripheral neuropathy, resulting in a variety of symptoms. The symptoms and the body parts affected by peripheral neuropathy depend on the underlying cause.

Peripheral neuropathy can manifest in a variety of ways. It has the potential to impact a single nerve, a group of related nerves, or numerous nerves in several areas of the body. The specific symptoms will vary based on which type of nerve signals are affected, and it is possible for multiple signal types to be involved.

Symptom types include the following:

Sensory and Pain
Motor
Autonomic

Now that we've covered some of the most difficult symptoms to live with when you have neuropathy, you're probably wondering how Kennedy Health Clinic can help. Before recommending treatment, your neuropathy doctor will suggest one or more diagnostic tests for a full-body analysis. Doing so will help our team provide better neuropathy treatment for both short and long-term needs.

People living with neuropathy have to deal with difficulties that most men and women in America don't ever think about. It's understandable, then, that they may become tired and even depressed because of their condition. That's where Kennedy Health Clinic steps in - to provide advanced neuropathy treatments and, ultimately, enhanced quality of life.

Living with nerve pain can be incredibly challenging. If you've been experiencing it for a long time, you may feel hopeless, sad, angry, or even depressed due to the constant pain. This can cause you to withdraw from the people you are close to and stop doing the things you used to enjoy. If you're struggling to cope with the emotional impact of your nerve pain, here are three suggestions on how to take charge of your emotions and gain new perspectives.

At Kennedy Health Clinic, we're dedicated to improving the overall health and well-being of our patients. We offer effective pain management treatments and holistic healing options to provide comprehensive care. Our commitment to our patients has made us a trusted partner in health and wellness - and we're ready to help you, too.

If you're suffering from nerve pain or other symptoms due to neuropathy, it's time to seek professional help. Our advanced neuropathy treatments are tailored to your body, your health needs, and your neuropathy goals. That way, we can give you the most effective and efficient care possible. When you trust our team of knowledgeable doctors, you're taking the first step toward a normal life without the painful surprises caused by neuropathy. Contact our office today to get started.

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Neuropathy 101

The Anatomy of Neuropathy

The nervous system in the human body is divided into two parts - the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. The central nervous system comprises the brain and spinal cord, while the peripheral nervous system includes all other nerves present in the body. That includes those that travel from the spinal cord and brain to supply the face and other parts of the body.

Whenever there is any condition that affects the peripheral nerves, it is referred to as peripheral neuropathy. Healthcare providers often use the terms "neuropathy" and "polyneuropathy" interchangeably with "peripheral neuropathy." It is important to note that peripheral nerves, being the farthest from the central nervous system, tend to show the earliest and most severe effects of these conditions.

How Does Neuropathy Affect Your Body?

In order to comprehend the impact of peripheral neuropathy on your body, it's useful to have some knowledge about neurons - a crucial type of cell that forms your nerves. These neurons utilize electrical and chemical signals to transmit and relay messages throughout your nervous system. Each neuron in your body is made up of the following:

Cell Body

A cell body is the primary part of a cell.

Axon

An axon is a long, arm-like projection that extends from the cell body of a neuron. At the end of the axon, there are several finger-like extensions called synapses, which convert the electrical signal in the neuron into a chemical signal. These synapses then transmit the signal to other nearby nerve cells.

Dendrites

Dendrites are small, tree-like extensions on the cell body that receive chemical signals from nearby neurons' synapses.

Neuropathy Treatment Center New Castle, DE

Myelin

This is a protective covering made up of thin, fatty chemical compounds that surround the axon of many neurons.

The development of peripheral neuropathy and how long it takes depends on its underlying cause. If the cause is an injury, it can develop instantly or within a few hours. However, some forms of peripheral neuropathy caused by toxins or inflammation may develop rapidly over days or weeks. In contrast, most other conditions that cause peripheral neuropathy take months, years, or even decades to develop. Regardless of the cause, modern advances in medicine give patients hope for recovery, using doctors preferred treatment for neuropathy in legs and feet in New Castle, DE.

The Most Common Symptoms of Neuropathy

Symptom types include the following:

Sensory and Pain
Motor
Autonomic

Curious what type of symptom you or a family member is suffering from? Let's take a closer look at each type of symptom below.

Motor Symptoms of Neuropathy

The peripheral nervous system in your body carries motor signals that originate in your brain and are sent to your muscles. These signals allow you to move around and carry out various physical activities. For your muscles to remain healthy and function properly, they require nerve connections to the brain. Some motor symptoms include:

Atrophied Muscles

Nerve connection loss causes your muscles to weaken and shrink. With peripheral neuropathy, this happens most often in your lower legs, feet, and hands. Occasionally, patients will experience deformities in their hands and feet due to muscle loss.

Muscle Paralysis and Weakness

Muscle weakening is a common issue caused by nerve deterioration from peripheral neuropathy. This condition can result in paralysis, making it difficult to move toes or causing foot drop and hand weakness. Additionally, it can also affect muscles in other areas of the body, such as the thighs and arms.

Uncontrollable Movements

When nerves lose a connection to your brain because of your neuropathy, they can become hyperactive, resulting in uncontrolled muscle movements and cramps.

Autonomic Symptoms of Neuropathy

Did you know that your body has several processes that happen automatically without your conscious effort? These automatic functions are known as autonomic processes, and they include things like sweating, digestion, and blood pressure control. Autonomic nerve fibers are responsible for carrying signals for these automatic processes. However, disruptions in these signals can cause your body's automatic processes to malfunction. Some of these processes may work intermittently, while others may not work at all.

Some autonomic symptoms of neuropathy include:

Changes in Blood Pressure

Your body naturally regulates blood pressure, but damage to your peripheral nerves can cause sudden drops in blood pressure or increases in heart rate, especially upon standing up.

Bladder and Bowel Issues

Autonomic signals control bowel and bladder function involuntarily. Nerve fiber disruption from neuropathy may affect your ability to control your bladder and bowel movements.

Issues with Sweating

Your body has a natural mechanism to regulate its internal temperature, which involves sweating to dissipate heat. However, if you suffer from peripheral nerve damage, it can disrupt this process and cause you to sweat excessively or not enough.

Intimacy Dysfunction

Sexual dysfunction is a known symptom of neuropathy because your autonomic nervous system is in control of your sexual arousal.

Sensory Symptoms of Neuropathy

Your peripheral nerves are responsible for transmitting information about the outside world to your brain in the form of nerve signals. This information is then processed by your brain, allowing you to sense and perceive the world around you. However, when you have peripheral neuropathy, it can interfere with your ability to pick up sensory information or communicate it with your brain, leading to disruptions in your senses

Numbness

This is one of the most common symptoms of neuropathy and is caused when your nerves can't relay or send signals properly, causing sensation loss.

Pain

Peripheral neuropathy can result in nerve damage that affects the way pain signals are sent, causing pain signals to be more intense (hyperalgesia) or triggered too easily (allodynia). It can even cause nerves to generate pain signals spontaneously, leading to what is known as "neuropathic" pain. Patients cite this as the most disruptive and challenging symptom of peripheral neuropathy.

Tingling

When your nerves can't carry signals to your brain properly, it can cause tingling. Think of it like radio static that you hear when you're losing a radio signal.

Problems with Balance

Did you know that nerves help your brain keep track of where your hands and feet are? Even though you may not realize it, these sensations are crucial for your balance and coordination. If you lose these sensations, you might struggle with balance, especially in the dark, and have trouble using your hands.

Types of Diagnostic Testing Needed for Doctors Preferred Treatment for Neuropathy in Legs and Feet in New Castle, DE

Diagnostic tests for neuropathy include:

Complimentary Thermoscan

During your initial complimentary consultation, our healthcare providers will conduct a free thermo scan, which is a diagnostic tool used to monitor foot temperature. This test is particularly useful in detecting warning signs of potential foot complications, especially for those with diabetic neuropathy who develop foot ulcers.

Nerve Conductive Study

At Kennedy Health, we use a procedure called a Nerve Conduction Study (NCS) to determine the speed of electric impulses traveling through your nerves. This diagnostic test aids in detecting any nerve damage and helps our neuropathy doctors administer appropriate treatment for nerve reactivation.

Discover Poor Blood Flow Locations

Poor blood flow can cause nerve pain and damage. To find out exactly where the blockages or tears are, our providers use an ultrasound to map out the veins and arteries in your leg. This helps identify weak or strained areas and allows us to find the exact location of poor blood flow in your lower extremities.

Depending on the severity of your neuropathy, you may qualify for one or more of the tests above. Once our team has a better understanding of your conditions and symptoms, we can provide advanced treatment recommendations for your neuropathy.

Kennedy Health Clinic's Doctors Preferred Treatment for Neuropathy in Legs and Feet in New Castle, DE

Some of our most popular neuropathy treatments include:

This device is designed to improve blood and oxygen flow, which in turn promotes optimal nerve and nervous system functionality. As a result of the healthy, oxygenated blood, damaged or weak nerve endings receive a rejuvenating boost, which may be experienced as a slight tingling sensation.

Did you know that infrared lights have amazing benefits for our bodies? They can help repair cells and improve the circulation of oxygen-rich blood, which in turn promotes faster healing of deep tissues and relieves pain.

For individuals dealing with diabetic neuropathy, the primary objective is to either reverse diabetes or decelerate its progression. Functional medicine involves incorporating lifestyle modifications to maintain blood sugar levels consistently at a healthy range, which all but eliminates diabetes. Choosing functional medicine recommendations is almost always preferred over invasive and more complicated treatments, and our team is here to help you get started.

Our providers may suggest advanced cellular therapy as a final option for those who have tried other treatments without success and are suitable candidates. This therapy can assist in improving the healing and treatment process of individuals who are experiencing neuropathy.

Living a life free of neuropathy symptoms doesn't have to be a pipe dream - it can be an achievable goal with the help of our advanced neuropathy therapies. Contact Kennedy Health Clinic today to schedule your free initial consultation. Before you know it, you'll be well on your way to long-term recovery and pain relief.

Four Positive Ways to Manage Stress from Nerve Pain

Invest in Self-Care

Surrounding yourself with friends, family, and supportive people is essential for your well-being. Engage in activities that make you happy and bring you joy. You should also consider exploring mentally stimulating activities like reading books or solving puzzles. It is important to maintain balance in your life and focus on your overall well-being - not a single body part affected by neuropathy.

Control What You're Able to Control

Reducing inflammatory foods can improve physical and mental health. Try decreasing or eliminating dairy, gluten, or products with sugar. If neuropathy is affecting day-to-day activities like sleeping, try making small changes. Adjustments like wearing thick socks can alleviate nerve pain and discomfort and help you sleep better. Also, try to establish a routine to focus on daily tasks and goals. Doing so can help you deal with and prevent depression and emotional distress. Last but not least, try to stay positive and hopeful. An effective treatment for your neuropathy might be closer than you imagine.

Talk About Your Feelings with Friends, Family, and Counselors

It's important to be honest with your loved ones about how you're feeling, both physically and emotionally. They can offer support, listen to you, and help you cope. You may also benefit from talking to a professional counselor for objective guidance on managing your physical pain. The biggest takeaway here is to express how you're feeling - don't bottle it up inside. It will only make your condition worse.

Seek Help from Neuropathy Doctors

You don't have to live with nerve pain. Kennedy Health Clinic offers several effective solutions for treating neuropathy. Our doctors preferred treatment for neuropathy in legs and feet in New Castle, DE improves blood flow, relieves pain, and can help give you a new lease on life. These aren't fly-by-night treatments. They're proven to be effective for neuropathy.

Trust Kennedy Health for Doctors Preferred Treatment for Neuropathy in Legs and Feet in New Castle, DE

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Clean-up underway in New Castle County after live wires trapped people in cars during rainstorm

SHERWOOD PARK, Del. (CBS) -- A scary scene in New Castle County, Delaware when power poles snapped and the live wires trapped several people inside their cars. The poles are still dangling over the street and the wires are running across the road, blocking several people from being able to leave their driveway.Take a look at this white pickup, you can see the wires on top of the hood.CBS Philadelphia was told two people were trapped inside the truck and two others were trapped inside another SUV and had to be rescued. They're a...

Take a look at this white pickup, you can see the wires on top of the hood.

CBS Philadelphia was told two people were trapped inside the truck and two others were trapped inside another SUV and had to be rescued. They're all safe but now the question is how long before this is all cleaned up.

"It was like an explosion, crazy, it was something out of the movies for sure," Christine Zambrana said.

Zambrana was with her family Tuesday night when the powerful and dangerous winds snapped six power poles outside her home.

They came crashing down on Milltown Road in Sherwood Park, knocking out power.

"It was like a big crackle and then we heard a boom and then we all ran downstairs to the family room because we were all screaming 'Get away from the windows,'" Cali Swingle said.

The live power lines fell on top of a white pickup truck and SUV, trapping the four people inside both cars. Firefighters said it took about an hour before the power was shut off and all four people were safely rescued.

"Our power is down for right now but thank God we didn't have any fires and thank God the people out of the cars made it out without any issues," Angel Garcia said.

Cleanup is underway in Hockessin after several trees toppled over in yards near the Quail Ridge development. At least four cars were partially submerged in floodwaters outside the Gander Hill Prison in Wilmington Wednesday afternoon.

"This is not what we wanted to start the year with, so it's very stressful," Zambrana said.

Back on Milltown Road, Zambrana showed CBS Philadelphia her backyard where two trees and power lines landed on her home.

She said the damage could be worse but now they're dealing with power surges and intermittent outages.

"We're trying to charge our electronics as much as we can because we are expecting the power to go out with all the work they're gonna have to do," she said.

Delmarva Power said there's no timetable on when this will be fixed. Crews are out in the area still assessing the damage and said it could take several days.

About 65,000 customers were without power in New Castle County at the height of the storm. CBS Philadelphia was told that number is now around 6,500.

Ryan Hughes

Ryan Hughes joined CBS News Philadelphia in June 2022. He previously worked at WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida, where he's covered stories ranging from weeks on the Surfside condo collapse, to the impact of Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas, and the Super Bowl in Miami.

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New Castle County under a flood warning. Residents asked not to drive Tuesday night

New Castle County is under a flood warning until 8 a.m. Wednesday, and residents are being asked to avoid driving Tuesday night as a powerful storm pounds Delaware with heavy rains and tropical storm-speed wind gusts.The National Weather Service has forecast periods of intense and heavy rain with high winds for Tuesday evening, which could cause small stream, river flooding and coastal flooding – especially in the upper Delaware Bay. The...

The National Weather Service has forecast periods of intense and heavy rain with high winds for Tuesday evening, which could cause small stream, river flooding and coastal flooding – especially in the upper Delaware Bay. The Delaware Bay at Reedy Point is forecasted to crest at 9.1 feet, which is near the record of 9.24 feet that was set on April 16, 2011.

The New Castle County's Office of Emergency Management said no evacuations are planned, but officials expect Delaware City to be "temporarily inaccessible for a period."

The strong winds, which hit 59 mph at Wilmington Airport, have caused power outages throughout the state. Delmarva Power has reported 288 outages in Delaware affecting 12,712 customers as of 6:53 p.m., with the majority of outages in New Castle County. Delaware Electric Cooperative has also reported outages in Kent and Sussex counties, with 2,841 customers affected as of Tuesday night.

How long will the storm last in Delaware?

The heavy rains will continue through Tuesday night and into early Wednesday morning. According to AccuWeather.com, the rain will end around 4 a.m. Wednesday. The high winds will calm down starting at 3 a.m.

The flood warning for New Castle County will last until 8 a.m. Wednesday. The coastal flood warning will expire at 1 a.m. Wednesday. The flood watch for Delaware will last until 6 p.m. Wednesday.

How much rain will Delaware get?

The National Weather Service forecast is calling for Wilmington to receive 2 to 3 inches of rain. Most of the state will receive 1.5 to 2 inches of rain. The far southern portions of the state will receive 1 to 1.5 inches of rain.

Get real-time 24-hour rainfall totals on Delaware Online. At 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Hockessin was leading with more than 2 inches of rain.

How to drive in heavy rains

While New Castle County Emergency Management is asking people not to drive Tuesday night, if you have to go out, here are some tips from AAA.com.

Man City: Kevin De Bruyne out but Jack Grealish could face Newcastle in FA Cup

The Belgian star has been struggling with a groin strain, and played through the pain against Liverpool last time out, and was subsequently left out of Belgium’s squad for friendlies against England and Ireland.Also missing is goalkeeper Ederson, who was forced to come off during their 1-1 draw with the Reds, but Stefan Ortega is the club’s cup goalkeeper in any case."Kevin's not ready,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday. “He already played in Anfield with some problems. But he's getting better. He...

Also missing is goalkeeper Ederson, who was forced to come off during their 1-1 draw with the Reds, but Stefan Ortega is the club’s cup goalkeeper in any case.

"Kevin's not ready,” Guardiola told reporters on Friday. “He already played in Anfield with some problems. But he's getting better. He's not ready for tomorrow. We spoke with Belgium manager Domenico Tedesco and he decided.

"I'm grateful because he didn't feel good and he could recover for the rest of the season. He played well (against Liverpool). All the players have problems, but the day after he didn't feel good, it's better to take care.

"Eddie (Ederson) is getting better, hopefully he'll be ready after the international break. Tomorrow, for sure (he will not play). He'll have two weeks off then, he'll recover, we'll see how he feels."

Guardiola also confirmed Jack Grealish has returned from a groin injury and will be a part of the squad. Grealish has not played since their 6-2 win over Luton Town in the FA Cup fifth round.

City are facing Newcastle for the fourth time this season, having beaten them twice in the league, but Eddie Howe's side knocked them out of the League Cup in September.

"This season and previous ones, since Eddie Howe was there and the people from Saudi Arabia took over (the club), it's always been tight games. We don't expect anything different," Guardiola said.

"We have an incredible chance at home with our people. We need the support of our fans in home games like we had against Manchester United (in a 3-1 comeback win), I don't remember that environment for a long time.

"Tomorrow isn't an exception. We need it to reach the semi-final at Wembley again."

New Castle, Kent counties report 5+ inches of snow as state issues travel advisory

A number of communities in New Castle and Kent counties are now seeing snow accumulation of more than 5 inches, prompting the Delaware Department of Transportation and the Delaware Emergency Management Agency to issue a travel advisory.The snow, which had reached 5.8 inches in Blackbird, 5.3 inches in New Castle, 5.3 inches in Smyrna and 5.1 inches in Talleyville as of 9:15 p.m. Friday, is expected to continue falling throughout the evening.Given the continued precipitation, DelDOT and DEMA are urging residents t...

The snow, which had reached 5.8 inches in Blackbird, 5.3 inches in New Castle, 5.3 inches in Smyrna and 5.1 inches in Talleyville as of 9:15 p.m. Friday, is expected to continue falling throughout the evening.

Given the continued precipitation, DelDOT and DEMA are urging residents to stay off the roads.

Both agencies said the advisory is not an official driving warning, which is issued during inclement weather. A Level 1 warning already had been issued this week, however.

The Friday afternoon advisory is "meant to caution motorists of adverse weather conditions and to stay off roads if possible. If driving is necessary, motorists are urged to use caution and common sense," a news release said.

According to the National Weather Service, radar shows "moderate to occasionally heavy snow continuing to move across the area." The agency has predicted as much as 6 inches of snow in Kent and New Castle counties.

The weather agency said the region's snow is mostly centered along the I-95 corridor from Wilmington to Philadelphia to Trenton. The weather service also said it's possible to see snowfall rates of 0.5 to 1 inch per hour, which could significantly reduce the road visibility to a half-mile to a quarter of a mile.

DRIVING IN THE SNOW:Bad weather can lead to various driving restrictions. Here's what to know in Delaware

Where is it accumulating?

Flurries, which began as early as 5 a.m. on Friday, have since turned into heavier snow, with an inch or more falling in an hour in some areas of Kent County.

While the southernmost part of Sussex County has seen little snow, the rest of that county has reported some accumulation. Ellendale has seen the most, with 4 inches.

The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for the Delaware beaches until 10 p.m., predicting up to an inch of snow and slippery roads.

These are Delaware snow accumulation amounts as of 9:15 p.m. Friday:

New Castle County

Kent County

Sussex County

Temperatures will rapidly drop into the teens late Friday night causing untreated roads to become icy and dangerous. Areas of blowing snow are possible over the weekend.

Delaware has already lowered the speed limit on I-495 from 65 mph to 55 mph. The state Department of Transportation is also reminding motorists that bridges and overpasses freeze before roadways.

"Heavy ice" from a storm earlier this week, caused several crashes on Tuesday resulting in large stretches of highways being closed — including I-495.

More:Various Delaware roads reopen after 'heavy ice' causes crashes, road closures

Closures

Several offices and businesses across the state reported closures and delays.

Snow day:What schools are closed, remote learning on Friday ahead of expected snowstorm

A winter storm warning has been issued for northern Delaware and is in effect until 10 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. The storm is forecast to deliver up to 6 inches of snow to northern Delaware causing hazardous travel conditions.

Sussex County, which is under a winter weather advisory, is experiencing rain with a mix of snow toward the coast.

Storm

The latest storm will spread accumulating snow and travel disruptions across 18 states in the Midwest and Northeast, home to 115 million people, into Friday night, AccuWeather meteorologists warn. Arctic air will pour in following the storm, resulting in the coldest winter weekend so far for much of the eastern United States.

The area most likely to pick up a foot of snow, according to AccuWeather, is the mountains of West Virginia.

This area of moderate to heavy snow may extend into southern New Jersey and Delaware, which would put a plowable snowstorm in play from Washington to Philadelphia and to the west. Enough snow to shovel and plow could extend to Cincinnati, Atlantic City and Dover.

Weekend highs across the state will hover in the mid to upper 20s on Saturday, inching up into the 30s by Sunday. Delaware can expect to see highs in the 50s later next week — around Wednesday and Thursday.

How much snow will Delaware see?

Here are the latest projections for Delaware:

Send tips or story ideas to Esteban Parra at (302) 324-2299 or [email protected]. Got a tip? Send to Isabel Hughes at [email protected] or 302-324-2785. For all things breaking news, follow her on X at @izzihughes_

EPA works to develop community advisory group for contaminated New Castle Superfund site

Cameron GoodnightThe Environmental Protection Agency is seeking the input of New Castle community members on a cleanup effort at a contaminated waste dump.The EPA hosted a meeting at the Route 9 Library & Innovation Center, which is less than 7 miles away from the East Basin Road Groundwater site, on Tuesday, Aug. 22. The site is a recent addition to the Sup...

Cameron Goodnight

The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking the input of New Castle community members on a cleanup effort at a contaminated waste dump.

The EPA hosted a meeting at the Route 9 Library & Innovation Center, which is less than 7 miles away from the East Basin Road Groundwater site, on Tuesday, Aug. 22. The site is a recent addition to the Superfund list, a federal program that provides taxpayer dollars for the nation’s most contaminated sites.

New Castle’s inclusion on the list is due to contaminants that were discovered in public drinking water, including chemicals known as PFAS, which have lingered in the area’s groundwater. The contaminants have impacted 11 drinking wells in the area, according to the EPA.

The EPA is working on a characterization study to investigate the site and determine cleanup options. Potential sources of contamination near the area’s drinking water wells also include the Delaware Air National Guard Base, New Castle Airport, the Duncan Readiness Center and the Army Aviation Support Facility, according to the EPA.

Completion of an investigation phase could take years, according to EPA Remedial Program Manager Christian Matta.

"By the end of this year, we will have our contractors in place and sometime in early 2024, we should be working with a group of companies that will be undertaking the delineation of the contamination," Matta said.

Matta and other representatives of the EPA asked for the public’s assistance in cleaning up the site through a Community Advisory Group. The group is expected to open the lines of communication between New Castle residents, the EPA and the state regulatory agency. It will also allow members to discuss their needs and concerns about the Superfund decision-making process.

So, who is permitted to be on the advisory group?

What are New Castle’s concerns?

U.S. EPA Public Information Officer John Brakeall, who led the meeting at the library, listened as several New Castle residents posed questions about the site and the community advisory group. Some asked about funding for the cleanup, potential health risks and the impact of the contamination.

Karen Igou, a New Castle resident who has a background in environmental justice, questioned the effectiveness of a cleanup.

"Prior to [2016], this was in the water ... and it isn't going anywhere; that's why they're called forever chemicals," Igou said. "I’m so curious as to how you would pull off this feat of moving this body of water and massive land."

Groundwater is the main source of drinking water in the New Castle area, which has a population of more than 5,000 people. The larger population served by the public wells in the New Castle area includes approximately 215,000 homes and businesses.

Ron Curtis, a 21-year resident of New Castle, urged the EPA to find out who has been dumping wastes at the 5,000-acre site all of these years.

“People like myself in the community have an interest in knowing who is responsible for some of this contamination,” Curtis said. "Some of us don't have [time] to wait and find out."

For more information about getting involved with the Superfund site, contact Brakeall at [email protected].

More:Hockessin aquifer now officially a Superfund site

Contact local reporter Cameron Goodnight at [email protected], or by calling or texting 302-324-2208. Follow him on Twitter at @CamGoodnight.

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