in the heart of East Hampton Village has turned a bright green.
What caused the change in color remains a "phenomenon," according to Mayor Paul Rickenbach, Jr.
He said he noticed a change in color last Friday and on Saturday, when the color of the pond turned fluorescent, he reached out to officials for answers.
Larry Penny, the East Hampton Town Director of Natural Resources, was asked to take a water sample earlier in the week. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation was also called, but officials there told the mayor they would not be responding over the holiday weekend as it was not an urgent matter.
On Saturday, passersby on foot and in cars gawked at the pond's color. A group of teenagers were sure it was a prank.
"My best guess is that it was an act of nature," Rickenbach said. "I've seen it happen before and it was determined it was a natural act," he said, adding that it may have something to do with the temperature gradients changing.
Reached at home on Saturday, Penny said he hadn't seen the Town Pond's bright green hue yet, but would assume the discoloration is an algal bloom, or a rapid increase in the accumulation of algae in the pond. He said it's generally not harmful.
Meanwhile, the pond is a natural habitat for waterfowl, including swans and their cygnets. The mayor is not concerned for their well-being, as he said he believes they know best when to stay away from something that might be harmful.
The oddly colored pond, at the turn from Montauk Highway onto Main Street, is sure to draw attention over the holiday weekend, Rickenbach said.
As for visitors to the pond, he said they should use their best judgement about making contact with their water until the village has an official answer.
With reporting by Matt Margolis
