Monday March 2nd 2026
Water in Haddington burn turned 'Ghostbusters' slime green
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
Council bosses have reassured local residents their water is safe after a stream turned the colour of ‘Ghostbusters slime’.
The burn in Haddington, which leads down to the River Tyne, suddenly turned fluorescent green last week sparking concern among dog walkers and local residents walking by.
One described the ‘toxic-looking’ green water as the same colour as the blockbuster Ghostbusters film’s spooky character Slimer, while others said they had put their dogs on leads to stop them drinking from it.
East Lothian Council has now said the sudden change in colour was caused by the use of a ‘harmless’ dye to check the drainage system in the town urging people not to be alarmed.
A council spokesperson said: “The colour comes from a small amount of green dye which was released into the water as a tracing agent to ensure drainage systems are operating correctly.
“Such tests are standard practice, and it was carried out on this occasion by the council as part of road drainage works. The dye is safe, temporary, and has no adverse impact on the environment.”
SEPA is understood to have received several calls from members of the public who spotted the luminous green water.
It is not the first time the use of the dye has sparked concern. In Edinburgh several years ago the Braid Burn also turned green leading people to contact the environment agency to raise the alarm only to discover it was the harmless substance.
In Haddington a number of people took to social media concerned about the sudden change in the water while others passing with their pets stopped to stare at the stream in concern.
One described it as ‘nasty’ while another suggested it was algae, and a dog walker said: “It looks like Slimer from Ghostbusters has been swimming in it”.
However Friends of the River Tyne, whose volunteers oversee the area told people they had also confirmed it was green dye used during work to clear a valve going into the burn.
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