The highest waterfall in China has been exposed for being not so natural, although authorities say they have a pretty good reason for helping the water flow.

The 314-metre-high Yuntai Mountain Waterfall is in Yuntai Mountain Park in the Henan province.

It’s a popular tourist attraction, but this week it got plenty of attention for a bizarre reason.

On Chinese social media platforms, a video of Yuntai Mountain Waterfall went viral, because it exposed that the water wasn’t free flowing naturally, but instead, a pipe was pumping it out.

Apparently, the pipes were discovered when a man used his drone to get up close with the waterfall. Reportedly, the original video was uploaded to Douyin, China’s version of TikTok.

The pipes were discussed widely on Weibo, the most popular social media platform in China. Many users were far from pleased with the revelations.

According to Reuters, one person said the pipes did not “respect the laws of nature nor the visitors” to the waterfall.

“The main thing is that the water pipe is so crudely installed, others at least disguise it in a superior way,” another Weibo user reportedly said.

Park officials explain the pipes at the waterfall

After condemnation on social media, Yuntai Mountain Park’s management explained the pipes were used to help water flow during the dry season.

“[Yuntai Mountain Waterfall] cannot guarantee to meet the public in its most beautiful appearance due to season changes,” management said, according to CNN.

Management also assured visitors they would be able to see the waterfall in all its natural glory come summer.

But not everyone was angry at the apparent subterfuge with pipes being used to aid the water flow.

One user on Weibo said people didn’t go to Yuntai Mountain Park to see the “source of a waterfall”. They said they didn’t consider the ordeal to be a case of authorities “lying to the public”, CNN reported.

“You are there to see a peacock flaunting his tail, not to focus on the peacock’s butt,” another Weibo user said.

Apparently this isn’t the first time the waterfall has been exposed.

Someone on X has claimed another video showing the pipes was shared to social media during the pandemic.