The Infestation of the Canal

Stenchful, malodorous and noxious smells rise from the foreign-colored canal. These smells attract travelers wanting to visit the eerie mysteries of the canal . Words like “Ew, what is that?”, “What is that smell?”’, “What color is that?” are said by bypassers all the time. Discolored, black oil is leaked into the already contaminated canal. These are the causes of the black bubbles arising through this unclear waterway. Trapping the old blue waters and reappearing the opaque goo. This goo is the residue of waste from polluting companies.

These findings have labeled the waterway as a Superfund Site in 2010 (Scientific American). “A Superfund site is any land in the United States that has been contaminated by hazardous waste and identified by the EPA as a candidate for cleanup because it poses a risk to human health and/or the environment” said TOXMAP. According to Gowanus expert, Peter Hoppman, gas plants and coal tar waste are the biggest contestants of polluters in bodies of water around the United States. Nasty smells rise from the area contaminating areas from Red Hook through Carroll Gardens. But the real question we need to ask ourselves is, how did we allow it to become this way?

When It All Began

Created in the mid-nineteenth century The Gowanus Canal served as a site for metal workshops , coal yards, paint and ink factories. Since before the 1900’s the canal was already flooded with sewage. In 1910, a businessman described the canal as “almost solid with sewage”. The year after, the community finally took serious precaution into cleaning the waterway. Underground tunnels were formed, holding seven-foot propellers cleansing the dirty water with fresh seawater. Soon, years later the pump broke, contaminating the water once again. In 1972 was the official Clean Water Act passed by Congress to help and protecting by restoring lakes, streams, and rivers in the United States. This provides detailed information on how New York’s Gowanus Canal is infested with mysteries that we will never solve. Black bubbles block the clearness of the water. The discharged pollution is dangerous, toxic and absolutely gross and disturbing. This problem is enough to cause the state millions of dollars  to mend and clean.

We Need Help!

Years and years, the United States has gone through dirt and odors in many areas. The problems of pollution has surfaced around the nation without a solution until 200 years after.  “It smells as if 200,000 people have used the bathroom at once” exclaimed Rosetta Rivera, a resident near the canal. This is a perfect example of how not just the sight of the canal has infuriated people but the smell also. This problem will not be resolved by just watching. We need a call to action!

Clean Em’ Up!

Mayor Bloomberg and EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) have come up with the decision of dredging the waterway then incinerating it after. Dredging is to clean a body of water by scooping up all the dirt, debris, and polluting thing that infect the water. By 2022, the Canals cleaning process with be finished. The waterfront has be a topic of discussion on what will occur after for the purpose. One idea is for the land to turn to a “park”. The area will absorb rainwater and stop it from washing sewage into the canal. The new idea will be called Gowanus Canal Sponge Park. Vast, green lands will visually show its progress.