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DEC investigating more discolored water

 The State Department of Environmental Conservation says it is investigating what appeared to be another discharge of dark-colored water from the Niagara Falls Wastewater Treatment plant on Tuesday. 

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The State Department of Environmental Conservation says it is investigating what appeared to be another discharge of dark-colored water from the Niagara Falls Wastewater Treatment plant on Tuesday.

DEC Conservation Officers responded to a call about the discharge around 3:40 p.m. to an area near the Maid of the Mist dock.

The DEC says it's possible a strong storm that passed through the area with heavy rain may have contributed to the potential discharge, however it will continue to investigate if it is at all connected to the July 29th wastewater discharge into the Lower Niagara River.

Matt Davison, from Martin Davison Public Relations who works for the Niagara Falls Water Board, said the heavy rain in Niagara County caused the overflow situation, which is different from the controversial July 29th discharge event. The DEC and an engineering firm recently hired by the water board continues to investigate this smelly, black discharge which occurred on a Saturday in an area which often attracts tourists.

"When this volume of water occurs, the waste water treatment plant is permitted to overflow the hundred foot weir, with the water then passing through the monitoring station," Davison said by email of the incident Tuesday.

He also said the overflows from strong storms are reported to the NY Alert System.

The state's alert system did release a "Bypass Overflow" alert for the Niagara Falls Wastewater Treatment Plant at 4:57 p.m.

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