Niagara Falls board ordered to halt black water discharges

State officials have told a western NewYork public agency that it must cease the type of wastewaterdischarges that caused a stretch of the Niagara River below NiagaraFalls to turn black and smelly.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo says the Department of EnvironmentalConservation has ordered the Niagara Falls Water Board to cease anydischarges from the agency's sediment basin until the state'sinvestigation into the July 29 black water discharge is completed.

The incident happened when workers at the local wastewater treatment plant located upriverfrom the falls let a pump run too long while emptying asedimentation basin. The basin contained residue from the cleaningof carbon filters at the plant.

The waternear the base of Niagara Falls turned an alarming shade of black before the eyes of tourists gathered there. There was also a foul smell.

The Democratic governor says the DEC has told the board to submita report on the discharge by Sept. 1.