The source of a mysterious 'humming' noise that has plagued residents in seaside Connecticut town may have finally been discovered.
Frustrated locals from Connecticut to New Jersey and Virginia say their lives have been ruined by an eerie noise, with various potential issues blamed for the maddening hum.
Residents say the vibrations from the noise caused health issues including headaches, internal ear pressure, sleep deprivation and anxiety spikes.
In West Haven, Connecticut, resident Kimberly Nunes launched a petition earlier this year to find answers, saying she was forced to start taking sleep medication because the noise made it almost impossible to rest.
Now, following an urgent appeal to find the source of the noise, officials with the West Haven City Council in Connecticut say a study found equipment tied to nutrition manufacturer Glanbia Nutritionals is to blame for their town's noise.
The city council authorized a $16,000 third-party acoustic study in January, which zeroed in on a factory on Heffernan Drive in the city where the equipment was stored.
Glanbia Nutritionals then carried out its own study, which concluded mufflers on the roof of the factory were 'insufficient for the tone generated by the equipment', allowing a maddening, low hum to emanate from it.
The city council said in a statement this week that Glanbia agreed to replace the mufflers, which had been installed in 2024, with upgrades to bring the ordeal to a close.
New Haven Mayor Dorinda Borer also required the company to come up with an immediate solution ahead of the repairs, which led Glanbia to install extra muffler blankets to mask the noise, reports the New Haven Register.
Residents in West Haven, Connecticut say they have been plagued for years by a mysterious humming noise
Kimberly Nunes, who launched a petition demanding answers, revealed that she's had to start taking sleeping medication because the noise makes it nearly impossible to rest
While the humming noise in West Haven has been solved, it remains to be seen if masking the Glanbia Nutritionals factory will resolve the issue across the northeast, with residents in a number of states complaining of a similar hum.
In Vineland, New Jersey - over 200 miles from New Haven - locals say the sound began when construction started on a huge 2.5-million-square-foot data center.
Although officials have not confirmed a direct link between the data center and the humming in New Jersey, locals reported similarly disruptive side effects from the noise as those in New Haven.
''It is infringing on our peace of mind and our tranquility,' resident Scott Montgomery told ABC6. 'And that monstrosity is only partially built.'
Similar complaints have surfaced in parts of Virginia, home to hundreds of data centers, and in Connecticut earlier this year, though officials in many areas say they are still looking into the source.
Experts noted that data centers can produce continuous low-frequency humming caused by powerful cooling systems and electrical equipment operating around the clock.
Thousands of servers generate intense heat, requiring large fans and chillers that can produce noise levels between 55 and 85 decibels, often described as a low-pitched roar capable of traveling long distances.
West Haven officials (pictured, Commissioner of Human Services John Carrano) said earlier this year the City Council approved a $16,000 budget to hire a third-party acoustics firm to pinpoint the source of the noise
In Vineland, New Jersey - over 200 miles from New Haven - locals say they encountered a similarly maddening hum when construction started on a huge 2.4-million-square-foot data center
The 2.4 million-square-foot data center (pictured)
Cumberland County Department of Health has acknowledged the noise concerns in the New Jersey town, noting it does not play a role in planning, zoning, or approving construction projects.
The agency added that it will investigate the construction site to determine if it is the source of the noise.
'If our inspectors find that noise levels are higher than those allowed under the code, we follow the enforcement guidelines under which a penalty may be issued if compliance is not obtained within a certain timeframe,' the agency shared on Facebook.
'While the Cumberland County Department of Health does not have the legal authority to shut down a facility, we do work collaboratively with those involved to resolve any confirmed violations of the Noise Control Act.'
Similar humming complaints have emerged across parts of Virginia, where hundreds of large data centers operate around the clock.
Residents have described hearing a deep, low-frequency buzz, sometimes accompanied by vibrations, fueling speculation about whether expanding data center infrastructure could be contributing to the unexplained noise.
Dale Brown from Great Oak told WUSA9: 'We're about 700 feet from the data center right here. It's just really, really loud.'
Residents living near the Amazon Web Services data center in Manassas and nearby facilities report both a persistent hum and low rumbling sounds that have sparked ongoing complaints.
Local Roger Yackel said: 'These data centers are loud, noisy beasts and they are being built too close to residential areas. That's not something that we should have to live with.'
John Lyver, a retired NASA analyst, has begun tracking noise coming from data centers near his neighborhood.
'I'm finding that the noise is far worse than anybody ever figured it was going to be,' he said.
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