Chicago River Goes Green Every Year on St. Patrick's Day!

Chicago's Famous Green River

Happy St. Patty's Day!

The Chicago River goes green every year in honor of St. Patrick's Day. My twin sister happened to be in Chicago last year and said the event was really spectacular.

According to the Web site GreenChicagoRiver.com , the idea for the green river was originated by Stephen Bailey. Bailey noticed that a plumber was wearing white overalls that had green stains on them. When asked how the stains got there, the plumber said it was dye that he used detect substances that were polluting the water. The dye turned the river green, and then it would seem, the light bulb went off.

One interesting thing spectators note every year is how the dye appears orange when it's first dumped into the water by the circling boats. The color is seen for just a few seconds, but then it quickly blends with the water and then the familiar emerald color appears. The dying of the water is is done with multiple boats. The dye boats sprays the dye into the water and begin mixing it. Other boats will follow behind the dye boat at a slower speed and mix and spread the dye across the surface of the river.

After about 15 minutes and several passes, the river has evolved from its normal murky brown color into a bright St. Patrick's Day green. According to ChicagoStPatsParade.com , the formula for the dye is a closely guarded secret, but has been thoroughly tested to ensure that it's safe for the environment.

As Stephen Bailey once reportedly said, the dye symbolizes the link between Chicago and Ireland. From the Chicago River to the Illinois River, then to the Mississippi, up the Gulf Stream and across the Atlantic, a green road is paved between Chicago and the Emerald Isle.

Of course, you don't want your drinking water to be this lovely green color, and Multi-Pure filters can remove that as well as all of the other contaminants it reduces! They say the dye in the Chicago River is safe on the environment...I guess it's just the luck of the Irish.

-Trina-