Stories Of Sandy: Cleaning the Gowanus
As the waters rose around the city’s coastline, residents of Gowanus and Carroll Gardens had an even bigger fear than flooded houses and businesses: toxic chemicals and sewage.
The Gowanus Canal is a federal Superfund site, noted for its excessively contaminated waters. During Sandy’s assault, the canal’s banks overflowed early and often, sending questionable water and sewage into streets, basements and businesses. A test from the Environmental Protection Agency revealed that while there were high levels of bacteria found in the water, there were no toxic chemicals. High tide also “flushed” in clean ocean water.
That is a relief, say residents, but there are other problems, as well, including some lack of power and extensive property damage, including to underground transformers.