Over the weekend, several residents grew concerned after noticing green water in the Glens Falls Feeder Canal. But as our Matt Hunter reports, state officials say the public has nothing to worry about.
GLENS FALLS, N.Y. – A few weeks after being notified by staff at Finch Paper that water from the Glens Falls Feeder Canal was seeping into some of the company's buildings, New York State Canal Corp Director Brian Stratton says the state agency is working to pinpoint the exact leak.
"The seepage that is going on now is not posing any danger to any of the buildings, but we do want to be able to find out where it is," Stratton said Tuesday. "We have put a non-toxic dye into the feeder canal so we can try to gauge where that is coming in from."
Green in color, the dye was cause for concern for a handful of residents who walk and bike along the feeder canal path. As alarming as it looks, Stratton says it poses no health threat to plants, animals or people.
"There is no danger whatsoever to it, and it is really just so we can, from a very practical sense, find out where the water is leaking," Stratton said.
After it's pinpointed, Stratton says the leak will be repaired this winter once the canal system is shut down and drained.
"We will have an idea where that is, and we will be able to repair that particular wall. It is something that we are right on top of," he said.
While the water lacked its green hue on Tuesday, Stratton added crews will likely continue the dye work for a little while longer until the leak is found.
"It's a work in progress, and we hope to find it the next several weeks," Stratton said.
Over the phone Tuesday, Finch Paper's CFO, Derek Basile, said the company is satisfied with the Canal Corp's response and believe it is working to solve the problem.