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By Alex Sargent, Staff Writer for Save The Water™ | September 17, 2015
On July 30, 2015, the Associated Press released a study on water quality at Rio’s Olympic venues, finding dangerous levels of human waste pollution in areas used for rowing, triathlon, and sailing. The tests, led by virologist Fernando Spilki, revealed that waters contained between 14 million and 1.7 billion adenoviruses per liter, an alarming sign of untreated sewage.
Rotavirus, the most common cause of stomach flu, was also detected. The CDC warns that the virus can cause fever, vomiting, diarrhea, and dehydration for up to eight days. Experts such as Kristina Mena of the University of Texas estimated that athletes faced a 99% chance of infection after ingesting just three teaspoons of the water.
Rio is not the first Olympic host to come under scrutiny. In the lead-up to the 2014 Sochi Olympics, Russian residents expressed concerns about toxic runoff polluting the Mzymta River, a major drinking water source. Local activists, including Yulia Naberezhnaya from the Russian Geographical Society, reported harassment from officials after raising awareness about the issue.
Despite the overwhelming evidence of contamination, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) downplayed concerns. IOC medical director Dr. Richard Budgett insisted that the World Health Organization’s standard bacteria-only testing procedure was sufficient, even though it ignores viruses.
When asked whether IOC officials would swim in the polluted waters to prove their safety, IOC chief inspector Nawal El Moutawakel laughed and replied sarcastically, “We will [all] jump in together.”
The Rio Olympics placed Brazil’s waterways under a global spotlight. While the contamination poses undeniable risks to athletes and locals, the attention also offers an opportunity for Brazil to confront its water pollution crisis head-on. With the world watching, the government had the chance to prioritize long-term solutions for sanitation, infrastructure, and environmental protection.