You already knew it.

All you have to do is smell the Gowanus or stare at its water to know that it’s toxic beyond belief. But today the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed that the local waterway is rife with cancer-causing chemicals and toxins that are unhealthy to children and other living things.

The report released today is the first part of a federal investigation into what makes the canal so toxic, which will be followed by a $500-million clean-up of the canal.

They don’t call it a Superfund site for nothing.

According to the report: “The contamination … is widespread and may threaten people’s health, particularly if they eat fish or crabs from the canal or have repeated contact with the canal water or sediment,” EPA Regional Administrator Judith Enck said today.

The three hot spots of contamination are: Metropolitan Works, at 12th Street and the canal; Fulton Municipal Works, at Degraw Street and Third Avenue; and Citizens Gas Company, at Smith and Fifth streets.

The EPA will hold a public meeting to present and discuss the findings of the remedial investigation on February 23 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at PS 32 at 317 Hoyt Street in Brooklyn, New York.

You can view the report at www.epa.gov or in person. You can also see it at the Carroll Gardens Library.