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Southwest Florida creek suddenly turns blood red

Posted at 9:38 AM, Feb 15, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-15 09:41:58-05

(WBBH/NBC) - A water scare this week in Southwest Florida has some residents worried.

The concern was discovered Tuesday afternoon when people along the creek at Manuels Branch discovered the water had turned a blood red color.

The first thought was that it was pollution, but it turned out it came from a local water treatment company that was using the red dye to check for leaks in the cooling towers at a local hospital.

 

After testing, company workers, discharged the colored water into a drain pipe, which made its way back into the creek.

While the color is concerning, both the hospital and the treatment company insist the dye is harmless to the environment and any wildlife.

Never the less, they have plugged the drain pipe and are cleaning up the mess.

The Department of Environmental Protection said they are also keeping a close eye on the cleanup.

Courtesy: NBC News Channel