Water might seem boring, and most Americans may prefer Coca-Cola over a plain glass of it, but you definitely don’t want your water looking like Fanta. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to residents of Kimballton, a small town in western Iowa. Many began reporting that pink water was coming out of their faucets instead of regular plain water. One woman cleaning radishes initially thought the color came from the vegetables. But to her shock, she realized that something was wrong with the tap water.
Now, people are forced to rely on bottled water, as the tap water is no longer safe to drink. Some residents said they never realized just how much water they used until they couldn’t use it anymore. They’re now hoping the government will resolve the issue at the town’s water tower soon.
Thankfully, officials didn’t sit back. They quickly stepped in to provide free bottled water to residents while working to fix the problem. While the government claimed the pink water is still safe for bathing, most locals aren’t taking any chances. They’d rather wait until the issue is fully resolved.
Many people online expressed sympathy for the residents of Iowa, calling the pink water situation alarming. However, the discussion quickly turned political on platforms like Reddit. Several users criticized the Trump administration, blaming the incident on past decisions to roll back health and environmental regulations. “Expect more of this, America,” one Redditor wrote. “As safety regulations get removed, we’re going to find out why life expectancy was so low in the Middle Ages.”
While some users engaged in serious debate, others responded with humor. One joked that it was “a gender reveal gone wrong,” while another quipped that “the water is turning people gay.”
A few tried to be helpful by suggesting possible causes. The most common theory was potassium permanganate, a chemical used in water treatment. “Potassium permanganate. My local chemical plant exploded once. They dyed our rivers this exact color,” one commenter shared.
The incident also reignited concerns about the Trump administration’s efforts to weaken the Environmental Protection Agency. Critics argued that gutting the EPA and cutting back on public safety initiatives has long-term consequences, accusing the president of intentionally undermining public services that protect citizens.
“EPA being gutted. As of right now 57% of the project 2025 objectives have been completed for destroying the agency. This is what the MAGA cult voted for and this is what the democrats accepted by default when they decided not to vote”
