ATLANTA -- A stream flowing through parts of Buckhead and Midtown has taken on a bright green hue that has some neighbors concerned. But there may be a reasonable explanation after all.
Kathy Stachel has lived in the Garden Hills part of Buckhead for 27 years. But what she found on Thursday was definitely a first.
"When I came outside this morning, I was looking for my cat," she said. "So I was up on the top step and I looked down and saw my creek glowing lime green - one of the most lime greens I've ever seen."
And she's not the only one to notice. Photos started popping up showing waterways taking on the distinct color.
"It really freaked me out," she said. "And I immediately, the first thing I thought was because of all the construction in the neighborhood that they might have had a massive chemical spill."
PHOTOS: Green water in Atlanta stream
She immediately became concerned for any kids or animals in the neighborhood - and her cat who was still out there. So she put pictures up on a neighborhood email chain and called the city to find out more.
For a time, the neighborhood was in an uproar. Stachel said her pictures gained comments from neighbors.
"Oh, yeah, several," she said. "Disgusting, it's toxic, we got to tell everybody, make sure that none of the kids, the children - there's a lot of children in the neighborhood - make sure that none of them go near it in case it is toxic waste. You know, alarm."
But while the color alluded to something that would spawn three-eyed amphibians, it turned out to be something a little less concerning.
Atlanta Watershed Management confirmed to 11Alive that they had crews conducting tests on a catch basin in the area of 475 Buckhead Ave. and, in doing so, used a chemical dye. The green stuff in the area waterways, they said, was actually residue from the dye.
"Similar to food coloring, the dye is harmless to the wildlife," Atlanta Watershed spokesperson Rukiya Campbell said.
Crews will soon flush the water out and expect the color to dissipate. As of Thursday evening, the color had already begun to lessen. "Since I talked to the lady at the city
Stachel said she appreciated the city's quick response.
"They were pretty prompt and very nice and very helpful," she said.
