'Chameleon' River Turns Purple in St. Petersburg

June 5, 2018

One of the tributaries of the Neva River in St. Petersburg has turned purple from what appears to be another waste discharge.

Municipal environmental authorities fined a water supply and drainage company 150,000 rubles ($2,500) last week for turning the Murzinka River crimson red earlier in May.

Photographs posted on social media on Monday showed Murzinka’s waters flowing bright violet.

The drainage company that was fined last week after Murzinka turned red has been subject to previous fines for the river turning white.

According to St. Petersburg’s Fontanka.ru news website, local social media users have offered to change Murzinka’s name to “Chameleonka” in honor of the tributary’s color changes.

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