The water is the moat that surrounds Laar castle at Reet, near Rumst in Antwerp Province has suddenly turned red. Believing that vandals had put something into the water to make it change colour, the castle’s residents contacted the police. Samples of water have taken from the moat to examine if bacteria in the water caused it to change colour.
The moat around Laar Castle in Reet (Antwerp Province) currently resembles something out of a horror film. The water is blood-red. The residents of the castle suspected vandalism and Count Harold le Grelle contacted the police. An official from the Environment Inspectorate and the Fire Service have also attended the scene.
The enviromental inspector took samples that are being analysed at a laboratory. The change in the colour of the water is now not believed to have been caused by an act of vandalism. The alderman responsible for planning and the environment in Rumst Geert Van der Auwera (Christian democrat) told VRT News that “Based on photographs taken at the scene it is believed that bacteria were the cause, but we should not panic too much because it doesn’t appear to be blue-green algae.”
Nevertheless, nothing is being ruled. The Flemish Environment Agency says that in stretches of water where there is little or no current cyanobacteria or blue-green algae begin to grow when the weather is warm. These normally are blue-green in colour, but they can also result in a red-brown oily layer on the surface of the water.
Blue-green algae pose health risks to both humans and animals. If a blue-green algae contamination is confirmed, the municipal authorities will probably put up warning notices. Blue-green algae can cause serious skin irritation.