UPDATE: Non-Toxic Green Dye Leaks Into Wells Run

Update, 7 p.m.: A fluorescent green substance, used to find leaks in air conditioning units, was dumped into Wells Run Wednesday afternoon in University Park.

Lt. John Lazo, of Prince George's County Fire and EMS's Hazardous Materials Unit, said the non-toxic green dye was being used to test for leaks in AC units at 6505 Belcrest Road in the University Town Center in Hyattsville.

After the leaks were tested, the substance was flushed into the drainage system that leads to Wells Run. Lazo said the dye is not harmful to animals that use the stream as a habitat.

On Wednesday afternoon, however, the appearance shocked the nearly 50 residents that came by for a glance.

Adelphi Road at Toledo Road was a traffic jam, as Prince George's County Fire and EMS, hazmat, University Park Police and Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission vehicles blocked one of the northbound lanes. There was even a fender bender.

The material is highly concentrated, Lazo said, which is why it hasn't diluted quickly.

Resident Tom Stickles, who heads the town's stream committee, said although the material is non-toxic, he wasn't happy about it being in the stream.

"It's neglegent on their part that they would dump anything into the stormwater drain," Stickles said. "We have ducks [laying eggs] and kids who play in the stream."

Stickles said he will continue to monitor and test the stream.

"We have to have blind faith in what HazMat has told us—that this is non-toxic," he said.

The tributary flows from Hyattsville through University Park into Riverdale Park and then into the Anacostia River. Earlier this year, the three towns finanlized a to share responsibility of Wells Run's care after .

At 6:40 p.m. there was no reports of green dye in the Northeast Branch of the Anacostia that runs through Riverdale Park. Lazo said he expects to field a few calls from Riverdale Park residents Thursday morning who may notice the leak during their morning run along the river.

Original Post, 6:20 p.m.: At around 3 p.m. residents notified police of a bright green solution flowing into the Wells Run tributary from Hyattsville.

Prince George's County HazMat and the county fire department responded to the scene and determined the substance to be non-toxic and were trying to determine the source of the spill.

Updates to come as information becomes available.