Authorities issue warning as water in creek turns bright green
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Life in Melbourne's suburbs usually runs like clockwork, with familiar routines and a comforting sense of order.
But occasionally, something unexpected shakes up the calm, leaving locals scratching their heads.
In an event that seems more suited to a science fiction movie than the suburbs of Melbourne, residents of Yarraville were recently greeted by an eerie sight: the normally placid waters of Stony Creek had turned a fluorescent neon green.
Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) issued warnings to residents, advising them to avoid contact with the water.
The cause of the creek's transformation? Authorities suspect a spill of fluorescent dye or fluorescein, a substance commonly used by plumbers to trace connections and detect leaks.
While the dye itself is not necessarily harmful, the public was given precaution to stay out of this body of water.
EPA officers have visited the park and conducted tests on the waterway.
The EPA urged plumbers and tradespeople to exercise greater care when using such dyes as they are highly concentrated.
‘Even where it doesn’t affect the environment, it can still cause problems by diverting EPA investigators from more serious pollution,’ the EPA said in a statement.
You can report pollution to the EPA by calling their 24-hour hotline at 1300 372 842 or submitting details online here.
This comes after a similar event in September when a large quantity of green liquid spilled into Sydney Harbour.
The substance was first reported near Hipwood Street in Kirribilli, prompting a response from firefighters specialising in hazardous materials.
However, in July, a safety alert was raised in the River Murray at Goolwa and Lake Alexandrina due to high toxin levels from dying blue-green algae.
Experts said while there has been a significant reduction in the algae count in the river, toxin levels remained high.
A former principal microbiologist said that algae were first detected in South Australia around 15 years ago, and it would ‘be the start of something’. You can read more about the story here.
Have you ever witnessed a similar environmental incident in your area? What steps do you think should be taken to prevent such occurrences in the future? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.
But occasionally, something unexpected shakes up the calm, leaving locals scratching their heads.
In an event that seems more suited to a science fiction movie than the suburbs of Melbourne, residents of Yarraville were recently greeted by an eerie sight: the normally placid waters of Stony Creek had turned a fluorescent neon green.
Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) issued warnings to residents, advising them to avoid contact with the water.
The cause of the creek's transformation? Authorities suspect a spill of fluorescent dye or fluorescein, a substance commonly used by plumbers to trace connections and detect leaks.
The EPA warned residents to avoid contact with Stony Creek’s water as it turned bright green. Credit: Environment Protection Agency Vicotria
While the dye itself is not necessarily harmful, the public was given precaution to stay out of this body of water.
EPA officers have visited the park and conducted tests on the waterway.
The EPA urged plumbers and tradespeople to exercise greater care when using such dyes as they are highly concentrated.
‘Even where it doesn’t affect the environment, it can still cause problems by diverting EPA investigators from more serious pollution,’ the EPA said in a statement.
You can report pollution to the EPA by calling their 24-hour hotline at 1300 372 842 or submitting details online here.
This comes after a similar event in September when a large quantity of green liquid spilled into Sydney Harbour.
The substance was first reported near Hipwood Street in Kirribilli, prompting a response from firefighters specialising in hazardous materials.
However, in July, a safety alert was raised in the River Murray at Goolwa and Lake Alexandrina due to high toxin levels from dying blue-green algae.
Experts said while there has been a significant reduction in the algae count in the river, toxin levels remained high.
A former principal microbiologist said that algae were first detected in South Australia around 15 years ago, and it would ‘be the start of something’. You can read more about the story here.
