LIVERMORE FALLS — The contaminated soil around the Livermore Falls Fire Station may not hinder efforts to build a new station as much as initially thought.

Architect George Parker provided selectmen with the latest update on construction of a station during Tuesday’s board meeting. In a series of tests conducted in July at the site, fuel oil was discovered in the soil at a depth of about 12 feet.

However, since then, more testing has been done. In the area where the contaminants were discovered, Parker didn’t anticipate the soil would be disturbed to that depth.

“Over in that section, we’re not going to be going down more than 3 or 4 feet, because that section’s just going to be parking,” he said.

The station was constructed in the 1960s, and because of that there may be asbestos inside, Parker said.

“(The state Department of Environmental Protection) does require, when you demolish a building, that you have it inspected for asbestos,” he said. “Given the age of the building, there probably is asbestos tile.”

Selectmen approved $1,016 from the project’s budget for asbestos removal.

Parker and the board talked about the cost of the project and how all of the testing for contaminants has affected it. In June, residents approved $1.5 million for the new fire station, and Parker said he was committed to keeping the cost at that rate or preferably lower.

“My concern is the taxpayers deserve to have a good looking building because they’re the ones who are going to pay for it,” Selectman George Cummings said.

bmatulaitis@sunmediagroup.net