New Jersey’s ‘Blood Red’ River Sparks Eerie Rumors — turns Out, It’s Just Poor Waste Management
Residents of New Jersey were left stunned earlier this year when a local river turned into an eerie shade of blood red, sparking a wave of unsettling conspiracy theories online. From horror movie scenarios to other ominous signs, speculation ran wild as the video spread across social media. It was posted on YouTube by Two Feet Outdoors (@TwoFeetOutdoors) on 18 April this year. Despite the confusion, the real cause of the river water’s strange transformation turned out to be no mystery—just a concerning issue, which was later revealed by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.
As the YouTuber, Matt, paddled through the polluted Passaic River in New Jersey, he said, "This water, right here, looks like fruit punch." He then showed how the banks of the river were filled with trash. Matt said, "Look at all the trash that is surrounding the launch. Just plastics, debris, tyres, sticks, twigs, logs, you name it." He added, "There's just a whole area that is completely covered in trash." Further in his video, he revealed that according to official reports, the lower 8-mile stretch of this river is one of the most polluted in the nation.
Speaking about the reddish color of the water, Matt said, "It's red. That is weird. I'm paddling currently through red water." As soon as the netizens saw this part of the video, they came up with some bizarre comments. One YouTube user, @Thisthat654, commented, "That's a good spot for a horror movie location. Abandoned buildings and blood-red water. The monster that ate Jersey, coming soon." Another person, who goes by the username @prayerwarrior9110, wrote, "The third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters, and they became blood."
Similarly, a third YouTuber, @Jerry-t4d, chimed in and said, "It could be a biblical thing. The holy bible talks about the seas and rivers turning blood red in the last days before Jesus Christ returns." However, the red color in the water wasn’t blood at all. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection launched an investigation into this after having a look at Matt’s video and found that it was because of a clogged sewage near a fabric processing facility located close to where the YouTuber had been paddling, as reported by Newsweek. Furthermore, the DEP confirmed that the company followed proper disposal rules, and the red water issue stopped once the blockage was cleared.
Meanwhile, previously, Isiah Cruz, the founder and CEO of the environmental AI firm Ama Earth Group, stated that despite being one of New Jersey’s major rivers, the Passaic has long been neglected. Cruz added that restoring the river would benefit people across New Jersey and the nearby areas. As reported by American Rivers, several companies that have a part in polluting the river have committed to contributing financially to the cleanup, which was estimated to be around a massive $1.8 billion.
More on Green Matters
Surreal Footage Shows ‘Blood Rain’ Pouring Over Iran’s Rainbow Island and Mixing With Sea Water
A Pond in Hawaii Suddenly Turned Bright Pink Overnight, And Researchers Think They Know Why
Experts Reveal Why Alaska’s Rivers Are Turning Bright Orange and It’s More Serious Than You Think