Would you ski on yellow slopes?

February 5, 2013
By Kerri Jansen

The Arizona Snowbowl was the subject of a state investigation after their fake snow made with sewage effluent came out yellow.

Derrick Coetzee, Wikimedia Commons The Arizona Snowbowl was the subject of a state investigation after their fake snow made with sewage effluent came out yellow.

A recent study by General Electric found that 80% of Americans "strongly support" using recycled water for non-drinking uses.

Wonderful!

Recent news reports detailed the efforts of the Arizona Snowbowl, a skiing and snowboarding resort in northern Arizona, to become the first in the world to make fake snow using only sewage effluent.

Awesome!

... and it came out yellow.

Excell ... wait.

The Snowbowl fired up its new recycled water snow machines and blanketed its slopes with a crisp layer of yellow snow.

As someone who frequently face-plants while pursuing snow-based activities, I find this particularly disconcerting.

The Snowbowl's manager, told The New York Times the color came from rust in the pipes.

Some citizens thought that explanation didn't hold water (pun absolutely intended) and filed a complaint. State investigators accepted that explanation, though; they ordered the Snowbowl to install larger signs informing the public of the snow's origin, but did not test the actual snow to ensure its safety, the Times reported.

That snow may be perfectly safe. Or not.

I wonder what percent of Americans are cool with recycled water after skiing on -- and possibly face-planting into -- discolored snow?

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