‘Suspected chemical spill’ likely algal bloom as DEWA pollution team investigate substance in Denmark River

A mysterious pink substance spotted near the weir in the Denmark River on Thursday has sparked an investigation, with residents warned to stay away. The discoloured water has turned bright pink in what the Department of Water and Environment Regulation suspects is a phytoplankton bloom. The department’s pollution response team is conducting tests and while they suspect the substance to be harmless, have advised the community to steer clear until testing is finalised. A notice on the Shire of Denmark’s Facebook page posted at 10.10am on Thursday initially described the incident as a “suspected chemical spill”, but an update two hours later said DWER had advised the substance was “likely a phytoplankton bloom”. According to the DWER website, phytoplankton are microscopic algae that occur naturally in waterways. It says a change in environmental conditions can lead to a cell growing very rapidly and a sudden and extreme increase in cell densities.