River turns from murky grey to bright ‘Tango’ orange in Wales | UK News

A river has completely changed colour in Wales from its usual dirty grey to bright orange.

People have been left stunned after huge stretches of the Afon Lwyd at Charlesville near Pontypool underwent a bizarre transformation.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) confirmed it received reports of the water’s sudden shift in appearance on Friday.

Officers investigated at the scene to assess the impact last night and returned this morning.

One eyewitness said the river ‘doesn’t look too healthy’, while another described it as looking ‘almost rusty in colour’.

‘Is this the River Tango?’ joked Tony Poole on X. ‘It’s been Tangoed,’ another said.

The Coal Authority in Wales said today that it is ‘aware of a possible mine water discharge’ in the area.

A spokesman said: ‘We’re currently working with Cyfoeth Naturiol Cymru / Natural Resources Wales and our partners to investigate the incident.’

Jon Goldsworthy, the NRW duty tactical manager for South East Wales, said: ‘On Friday 12 January we received reports of the Afon Lwyd at Charlesville, near Pontypool, turning a bright orange colour.

‘NRW officers attended the site yesterday evening to investigate and assess any impact and will be returning this morning during daylight hours.’

Last summer, a river turned bright orange and electric blue after clothing dyes were accidentally dumped into the water.

The phenomenon of river water turning orange is not a new thing, though.

It’s also happened in Alaska in the US – and the most common cause for a change in colour is minerals, according to AmericanRivers.org.

‘When a rock is weathered down over time,’ it says, ‘The minerals from the rock are dissolved and small pieces are released into the water causing different colors.

‘Iron, manganese, and calcium carbonate from limestone are all common minerals that can cause water to range in color from red and orange to green and blue.’

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