Durkin writes:  "New tests have found sky high levels of bacteria found in human waste in the Gowanus Canal."

"Water quality test conducted by River Keeper ….late last month found
enterococcus up to 17,329 cells per 100 milliliters.  The Environmental
protection Agency (EPA) has said contact with water higher than 104
cells is unsafe."

"If enterococcus is there in that quantity, every other bug, every
other bacteria, or virus or pathogen that was in the untreated sewage
is probably there in equal proportion, including E. coli and
salmonella," said John Lipscomb, captain of the group's patrol boat."

That water is bad water, very bad water," he said.

"Water samples were collected in May 29 after two wet days dropped half an inch of rain on the city"……

"It didn't take a lab test to show there was something funky in the
water.  Oily residue coated the surface, and dozens of condoms,
sanitary devices, and gutter trash ….floated by when a Brooklyn News
reporter went out on a boat."

"This is a day that really shows how broken our wastewater system, Lipscomb said."…

"He said that of the dozens of locations Riverkeeper tests-from new
York City to north of Albany-only the Gowanus and Newton Creek show
contamination levels as high.."

Sewers overflow into the Gowanus up to 75 times per year dumping some
300 million gallons of sewage into the waterway said City Department Of
Environmental Protection spokeswoman Mercedes Padilla.  Some advocates
say the estimates are too low because they use outdated rainfall
data…….."  (edit)