Connecticut Humming Noise Draws Nationwide Attention; Officials Outline Response

This article takes a look at how West Haven officials are responding to a mysterious low-frequency humming sound that’s been bothering residents for over a year. City leaders, after months of complaints and some initial testing, just approved funding for a professional acoustic study. They’re hoping to finally figure out if the noise breaks state rules and, maybe, where it’s coming from.

A Year-Long Mystery in West Haven

For a lot of people living near the industrial area off Heffernan Drive, the sound is hard to ignore. They describe it as a constant hum or something like the far-off whir of a vacuum cleaner.

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It’s not always loud — but it’s relentless. Some folks say they don’t just hear it, they feel it, especially at night when the vibration seems to get worse.

The complaints keep coming from different neighborhoods. People mention trouble sleeping, feeling more stressed or anxious, and even pets acting strangely.

Nearby Connecticut towns like New Haven, Milford, Orange, Hamden, Branford, Bridgeport, Bristol, and Wallingford have dealt with similar low-frequency industrial noise. It’s been a source of frustration for many in recent years.

City Officials Take a Closer Look

John Carrano, West Haven’s Commissioner of Human Services, has lived in the area for over 50 years. He’s taken a hands-on approach, running hundreds of sound readings throughout the neighborhood to document what’s going on.

So far, none of those readings top the state’s 70-decibel limit for industrial zones. Still, Carrano points out that Connecticut’s rules get a lot stricter for residential areas at night, especially for sounds labeled as “prominent and discrete tones.”

Why Low-Frequency Noise Is So Hard to Measure

Carrano says low-frequency noise affects people in different ways. Some are really sensitive to it, while others barely notice anything.

This makes enforcement tricky, especially when readings don’t clearly go over the official limits.

The area around Heffernan Drive doesn’t make things any easier. It’s right by Interstate 95, the Metro-North rail line, and a bunch of industrial buildings.

All that creates a jumble of sounds that can hide or even mimic the hum people are hearing.

When Decibels Aren’t the Whole Story

If officials decide the sound is a discrete tone and not just background noise, the allowed decibel limit could drop a lot. It might go down to 65 decibels, or even as low as 46 during the evening in residential zones.

That difference could be what makes enforcement possible — or not.

Professional Analysis Approved

After months of public pressure (and even a segment on the Today show), the West Haven City Council set aside $16,000 to hire Acoustic Technology LLC for a full noise analysis.

Mayor Dorinda Borer said the city has done everything it can on its own. Now, they’re bringing in a certified acoustic engineer with better equipment and deeper expertise to really figure this out.

What the Testing Will Involve

The testing process has some strict requirements. Weather has to cooperate, including:

Wind speeds under 10 miles per hour

No rain during the testing

Several days in a row with steady conditions

The engineer will probably spend about a week on-site collecting data. After that, it usually takes around 30 days to analyze everything and write up a report.

Learning From Other Connecticut Communities

West Haven officials have talked with state regulators and leaders in Bristol, where people have complained for years about low-frequency noise from a trash incinerator. Those conversations have been useful, but officials admit towns can’t control facilities outside their own borders.

Protecting Quality of Life

Mayor Borer said the whole effort is really about protecting residents’ quality of life. “This isn’t about assigning blame,” she added. “It’s about making sure people can sleep in their own homes without distress.”

Right now, people in West Haven—and honestly, all over Connecticut—are just waiting. Will science finally catch a sound that’s easy to feel but so hard to track down?

Here is the source article for this story: A strange ‘humming’ noise drew nationwide attention to a CT city. How officials are handling it.

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