The water in the inner reaches of urban waterways like Newtown Creek and Gowanus Canal is polluted beyond comprehension. Yes, the white stuff in the foreground is water. These “out of sight – out of mind” waterways are like giant, 500 foot diameter pipes discharging a toxic mix of petroleum products, heavy metals, chemical compounds and sewage pathogens into the waters of NY Harbor and the Hudson. We have much work ahead to clean these cesspools up.
Learn more about the oil spill under Greenpoint, Brooklyn that's leaching into Newtown Creek.