Calls for pre-Olympics water testing in polluted Rio de Janeiro bay

Santa Cruz fort and the opening of the Guanabara Bay (Credit: Zimbres, via Wikimedia Commons)

Rio de Janeiro’s polluted Guanabara Bay, the planned site of the 2016 Olympic sailing competitions, is beset by litter and large garbage items that make their way in from open-drainage sources. Nearly 70 percent of the city’s sewage goes untreated into its waters.

Progress to clean up the bay before the 2016 competition is behind. Rio’s state environmental officials say pollution flowing into the bay can only be cut by about 50 percent, less than an 80 percent reduction they were hoping to obtain.

With the host of water quality issues, there are concerns for athlete safety. Some are calling for independent testing by the International Sailing Federation to alleviate them, according to the Associated Press.

Image: Santa Cruz fort and the opening of the Guanabara Bay (Credit: Zimbres, via Wikimedia Commons)