A recent trend in urban exploration videos has spawned an ironic TikTok meme that urbex enthusiasts may never be able to live down.

In a strange turn of events, the concept of stagnant water itself has become a brainrot TikTok meme, with creators not only pairing the phrase with other bits of trendy internet slang, but also parodying the urbex creators who act like finding old "still water" is the scariest thing on Earth.

But how did literal water become a brainrot meme, and why were meme creators so drawn to the idea of exaggerating the fear factor posed by algae-ridden stale water? Here's a look at the "Still Water" TikTok trend of 2024.

What Is 'Still Water,' And What Popularised The Phrase On TikTok?

Still water or stagnant water is water that has been left sitting for long periods of time, promoting the growth of biofilm, bacteria and fungi, making it dangerous to drink or swim in. Still water can also contain brain-eating amoeba, making it the perfect "brainrot" topic of conversation.

One of the first urban exploration videos featuring still water was posted in June 2024, with user @tp.urbex showing how they visited an abandoned hospital and found still water in the basement. With over 19 million views and 1 million likes, the video piqued the interest of several TikTokers now eager to know more about the sight they encountered.

Two months later, @loganr_moore posted a video explaining what still water is, calling it one of the most "dangerous things you can come across when you are exploring."

@tp.urbex Still water… #abandoned #urbanexploring #urbex #stillwater #disturbing #scary #creepy ♬ use this sound if your cool – Carl 3000

@loganr_moore #greenscreen still water explained #exploring #stillwater #explained ♬ original sound – Logan Moore

What's Up With All The Memes About Finding Still Water Somewhere Remote and Abandoned?

In late September 2024, TikToker^[3] @aeroschmuk2.0 posted an urban exploration video that gathered over 50 million views and 4.6 million likes in short order. The video starts with him writing, "Let's climb this water tower!" and ends with him showing the still water in the tower with a menacing soundtrack.

@aeroschmuk2.0 #abandoned #urbex #foryou #foryoupage #urbanexplorer #bando #abandoned #exploringabandonedplaces ♬ Brain eating amoeba type beat – true_explores

A lot of TikTokers saw this video and had a "well, what did he expect?" reaction to it. The initial horror of learning about still water had worn off by this point, and fearmongering urban exploration videos showing stagnant, polluted water were now ripe for mockery.

Jokes about still water can be traced as far back as August 2024, but the memes didn't really pick up traction until early October a couple of months later.

@indians.tenesse

♬ use this sound if your cool – Carl 3000

@happy_pills1234

♬ i hate u – rems

Several TikTokers posted videos about "finding" still water around the house, oftentimes in the sink, a fishbowl or even their toilet seats, the joke being that they were faking how scared they were of this substance.

@gdig728 Still water + noradrenaline + balkan rage + gdigyap #gdigyap #stillwater #fypage #foryoupage #fyp #gdig728 ♬ Same Ol Mistakes – Runa🖤

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For the full history of Still Water, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.