The American side of Niagara Falls has always had trouble standing out from Canada’s Falls, but black water that enveloped the U.S. coast sure got the attention of the operators of the Maid of the Mist tour boat over the weekend. The company complained of the “smelly black discharge” oozing into the water.
.@PDyster: Why the smelly black discharge into Niagara River on very busy tourist weekend? @NiagaraFallsUSA @NYstateparks pic.twitter.com/XLnikKkHCr
— Maid of the Mist (@maidofthemist) July 29, 2017
New York’s Gov. Andrew Cuomo called for an immediate investigation into the environmental effects, while according to a statement from the Niagara Falls Water Board in New York, the black water is the result of “routine maintenance of one of the water board’s wastewater sedimentation basins.” The board said the discharge was within allowable limits.
Aerial video of inky, smelly black water in Niagara Falls. Waiting for answers. @NiagaraGazette pic.twitter.com/Sa5ppwZlEB
— Maid of the Mist (@maidofthemist) July 29, 2017
Despite often being referred to as one of the Seven Wonders of the World, Niagara Falls is not on the official list, though there have been campaigns to have it listed as number eight. Pumping a pungent smelling black discharge into the waters during the height of tourist season probably won’t help make that case.
