Merrimack River Dyed Red For Saint-Gobain Test

MERRIMACK, NH -- The Merrimack River was dyed red Tuesday as part of a state-approved water test. The test was conducted near the Saint-Gobain plastics facility on the Daniel Webster Highway. The state Department of Environmental Services approved the test.

"The purpose of this study is to evaluate the interactions between surface water and storm water where the Merrimack River flows close to the Saint-Gobain facility," NHDES said in a statement. "A red dye (Rhodamine WT) will be released from a storm water pipe on the west bank of the river for approximately one to two hours ... portions of the Merrimack River may briefly have a red hue."

The dye was approved by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Saint-Gobain in 2016 admitted to dumping chemicals into the river, leading to lawsuits from neighbors. The company this year agreed to pay for water remediation at hundreds of homes surrounding its Merrimack facility.

Photo credit: Kristin Borden/Patch