The residue of a chemical used to purify water was spilled on the streets of Algiers Sunday morning near the Algiers River Intake Station.

The residue of ferric sulfate poses no threat to the public, according to a statement from the New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board, but direct contact could cause irritation of eyes and skin.

The affected streets are Brooklyn – between Lamarque and Diana – and DeArmas – between Brooklyn and Teche.

The New Orleans Police Department blocked off the area and the New Orleans Fire Department’s Hazmat Unit went to neighbors asking them to stay indoors until the chemical is removed, according to the Sewerage & Water Board.

Sewerage & Water contacted an environmental cleanup crew to “neutralize the chemical and dispose of it safely.”

The cause of the spill was a pipe -- carrying only river water to the River Intake Station -- broke, allowing the water to flow into a nearby conduit which had ferric sulfate residue inside of it.  The residue then washed into the streets.

Officials believe the Intake Station will be closed for several hours, but officials said in the press release that the treatment plant continues to supply Algiers treated drinking from reserves while repairs are made to the station.

The leak should be cleaned up and the pipe should be repaired by 3 or 4 p.m. Sunday.