Cade Lucas
The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) is urging plumbers and other tradies to be extra careful with the coloured marker dye they use in their work, after a Yarraville creek was turned bright green last weekend.
EPA officers were called to Cruickshank Park in Yarraville on Friday, November 22, after passers by noticed a stretch of Stoney Creek had changed colour.
After taking samples and conducting onsite testing, EPA officers identified fluorescein – a dye often used by plumbers to check connections or spot leaks – as the source of the discolouration.
Fluorescein comes in bright green, blue and colours and while not toxic, is very concentrated and members of the public are advised to avoid contact with it as a precaution.
Last weekend’s spill was the latest in a series of incidents where high volumes of fluorescein have leaked into waterways this year and the EPA has called on tradespeople using the dye to make sure they don’t overdo it.
“We always check out reports like this, in case it’s something more serious, and their help to reduce the number of spills is good for the community and local waterways,” said an EPA spokesperson in an appeal to plumbers and tradies.
“Even where it doesn’t affect the environment, it can still cause problems by diverting EPA investigators from more serious pollution.”
EPA officers found no gas or indication of other chemicals in Stoney Creek following Friday’s spill, which is still being investigated.
No wildlife was affected by the spill and heavy rains over the rest of the weekend meant the bright green dye was washed out by Sunday, November 24.
Stoney Creek in Yarraville has a long history of spills, with local residents advised not to drink water from the creek and to keep their pets away after it turned bright orange in February last year.
In 2019 an industrial dye spill turned the creek bright red, while in 2018 a chemical fire upstream resulted in a fish kill.
The public can report fluorescein spills or other types of pollution to the EPA’s 24-hour hotline on 1300 372 842 or provide details online at epa.vic.gov.au/report-pollution/reporting-pollution
