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Dive Of Polluted Gowanus Canal Planned For Sunday

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - The Gowanus Canal is one of the most polluted waterways in the country and on Sunday, someone will be swimming in it.

As WCBS 880's Marla Diamond reported, a diver for the research dive team the Coney Island River Rats will immerse himself in the Superfund site for a live dive.

Diver John D'Aquino will be equipped with a head camera that will send images of the canal to an audience at the TEDx conference in real time.

Dive Of Polluted Gowanus Canal Planned For Sunday

"It's not the Caribbean, it's not a pool. It's gonna be dark, it's gonna be murky and so we'll see what we get. Hopefully, it's enough a picture that people will be intrigued either way," D'Aquino told Diamond. "We're just glad to be a part of the TED event and we're hoping that we'll be able to show something educational and informative to the people who get to see it."

He'll wear an impenetrable hazmat suit and diving helmet.

"We know what we need to do to do the job safely," said D'Aquino.

The only issue for the planned dive may be the cold.

D'Aquino said he won't dive if it falls below 25 degrees because at that temperature, his air line could freeze.

The dive is planned for 2 p.m. You can watch the TEDx event starting at 12:15 p.m. live here.

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