Human error caused discharge
Human error caused the wastewater discharge that darkened the Niagara River near the base of the falls on July 29, according to a statement released by the Niagara Falls, N.Y., Water Board.
The board said an employee who had been monitoring the discharge from a sedimentation basin was called away by another worker to a different section of the treatment plant to help with another task. When the employee returned, the outflow from the basin “had grown darker in colour,” said the statement.
“It is our preliminary belief that the submersible pump in sedimentation basin No. 5 was allowed to run longer than was intended, which caused a higher concentration of backwash water to enter the chlorine contact tank than occurs under normal conditions.
“It should be noted that water from sedimentation basin No. 5 is continually discharged (24/7) to the chlorine contact tank where it is mixed with disinfected carbon filter effluent which has been treated with hydrogen peroxide and sodium hypochlorite.”
The board said all water discharged from the contact tank passes through the wastewater treatment plant’s monitoring station for regular sampling before discharge to the Niagara River.
These water samples are tested for mandated state pollutant discharge elimination system permit parameters, and reported to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation as required.
The board reiterated the discharge was within permitted limits.
The statement came after the board met with officials from the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation.
The conservation department had said the discharge, which enveloped the dock of the popular Maid of the Mist tour boats on a busy summer tourism weekend, violated state water quality standards by changing the colour and odour of the Niagara River.
The incident drew plenty of attention on both sides of the Niagara River, and made news around the world.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered an investigation, while several U.S. lawmakers called for the resignation of the water board, and to probe whether there should be any criminal charges.
On this side of the border, Niagara Falls MPP Wayne Gates wrote an open letter to Ontario’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Chris Ballard, outlining concerns and asking for the ministry to also probe the incident.
A spokesman for the ministry said while the incident took place in the United States, they’re taking it “very seriously,” and were in regular contact with relevant U.S. officials to stay abreast of any new information. Niagara Falls Mayor Jim Diodati said he has been in contact with Niagara Falls, N.Y., Mayor Paul Dyster to discuss the situation.
He said he also checked with water experts on the Canadian side, who assured him drinking water is drawn from the upper river, not from the lower river where the incident occurred.
Ian Brindle, a professor of chemistry with Brock University, said the July 29 incident brought back memories from 30 years ago when Atlas Steel in Welland dumped chemicals into the Welland River that turned the waterway orange.
“That was an extremely visible and very concerning event that happened,” said Brindle, a renowned researcher who has spent his career studying water contamination in Niagara and beyond.
“But there we knew what was going on because we knew where it was coming from. With a wastewater treatment plant, you don’t know what you’re dealing with.”