An unknown substance painted a lake in a New Jersey park white: access to the reservoir was closed
'28.04.2022'
Nadezhda Verbitskaya
New Jersey city officials have sealed off an area around a park creek after an unknown substance turned the water milky white. NBC New York
A section of the Third District park was closed after someone walking around saw a white substance in the water around 12:45 p.m., Passaic Mayor Hector Laure said. The stream leads into Lake Hughes, which turned completely white by evening.
The lake flows into the Passaic River, but it is not yet clear if the water in the river has been affected. The Passaic Fire Department will flush the creek.
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Health officials said they were not sure what the substance was or what its source was. But the state Department of Environmental Protection confirmed after testing that it is safe. The mayor said they were looking into whether the substance could be linked to illegal dumping.
The Passaic Valley Water Commission stated that Lake Hughes was not connected to their water supply. And the substance did not affect drinking water in the area.
Hector Laura said they checked the manholes in Clifton. The substance comes from there and the contamination may have started there. The park itself is open, but the area around the stream where the substance entered the water has been closed.