Authorities Reveal What Caused Venice's Canals to Turn Bright Green
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“Unfortunately Venice has become the stage for actions far beyond the lines: adequate and strong responses are needed,” said Veneto governor Luca Zaia
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Authorities in Venice have figured out why some of the city’s famous canals have turned fluorescent green.
A bright green blob of liquid was initially seen by visitors and residents of the city near the Rialto Bridge, a popular tourist attraction, on Sunday morning, according to CNN. The green liquid then spread to the rest of the canal system prompting local officials to launch an investigation into the cause.
Photos taken throughout the day showed gondoliers and boaters wading through the bright green waters near several landmarks.
The governor of Italy's Veneto region, where the city is located, Luca Zaia, tweeted on Monday that the Regional Agency for Environmental Protection and Prevention of Veneto (ARPAV) tested the green substance in the water and identified it as fluorescein.
Related: Venice’s Grand Canal Mysteriously Turns Fluorescent Green — See Photos
He went on to explain that the substance was an organic compound commonly used for water inspections or in caving and did not pose a threat to the canal’s ecosystem of flora or fauna.
He did not disclose how the substance may have gotten into the water or if the government has any idea who may have introduced it.
Italian Firefighters (Vigili del Fuoco) / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty
Related: Venice's Famous Gondolas Trapped in the Mud Amid Historic Low Tides — See Photos
Zaia expressed his worry that the incident could encourage copycats, who may want to pollute the canal on purpose. Investigators had originally looked into the possibility that climate change activists had a hand in the change, according to local outlet La Nuova Venezia.
“Unfortunately, Venice has become the stage for actions far beyond the lines: adequate and strong responses are needed,” Zaia wrote on Twitter.
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The ARPAV will be conducting further tests to determine just how much of the substance was added to the water, according to CNN.
The water in Venice’s canals also changed color in 1968, when Argentine eco-artist Nicolas Garcia Uriburu poured a green dye in the same area of the Grand Canal to promote environmental awareness, the outlet reports.
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