Birmingham canal turns green, leaving residents confused

Birmingham residents were left confused after a canal turned bright green.

The West Midlands Canal and Rivers Trust has advised people not to panic after dye was poured into a Tame Valley canal.

The canal charity said it was conducting dye tests to find out if there was a leak.

The charity added that the dye is not harmful to wildlife and will dissipate naturally over the next few days.

A spokesman said: “If there is a leak anywhere in the canal we will note that there is no green dye in the canal.”

“For example, if there is a leak in the tow path, the dye will make it easier to see,” they add.

The canal stretches from Walsall Canal to Salford Junction, a total length of eight and a half miles.

Social media users were quick to come up with humorous explanations for the color green.

One user joked that the canal had been dyed green to mark St. Patrick’s Day – three days after the Irish holiday.

Another said large amounts of mushy peas were poured into it.

A notice on the Canal and River Trust website said an investigation was underway into the source of the water in the garden near the security gate at Gorse Farm in Hamstead.

“No obvious source of the leak has been discovered, and monitoring has not been able to conclusively determine the source of the water,” the update said.

“However, we have made repairs to one potential area and now need to test it at normal water pressure by refilling the canal.”

In a post on Our wildlife and fish populations are safe. The dye will dissipate naturally over the next few days.”