An Olympic-Sized Problem

In case we needed a reminder about why we try to control contaminants in our runoff, we need look no farther than Rio.

In beachfront communities where tourism is a big part of the economy, keeping the water clean and safe is not only a matter of public health but also of public relations. Even if the water-quality problem in question is not a particularly dangerous one—as, for example, many algae blooms are not—the perception of dirty or “slimy” water is enough to keep people from swimming and to taint their opinion of the area. When bacteria in the water cause beach closures or, worse, make people sick, the public relations fiasco can be even worse.

So imagine the problem officials in Rio de Janeiro are facing as the Olympic Games are about to begin. Two of the venues where Olympic events will take place—the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon (rowing) and the Gloria Marina (starting point for sailing races) are so contaminated that one expert has advised the 1,400 athletes involved with these and other aquatic events, “Don’t put your head under water.”

As this article points out, the concentrations of viruses have come down in some places since sampling began about 16 months ago. In March 2015, there were 1.73 billion adenoviruses per liter in in the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon; two months ago there were 248 million per liter. However, a measurement of only several thousand per liter in a US water body could trigger a beach closure. The Gloria Marina fares somewhat better even though the levels have gone up during that same period, from 26 million to 37 million adenoviruses per liter. The main cause is raw sewage entering the lagoon and the marina through the storm drains.

Levels of fecal coliform bacteria have likewise been measured over the same 16 months; they are often used as a marker to indicate the likelihood that other pathogens are also present. Levels of bacteria are lower in Rio’s waterways, but bacteria tend to break down more quickly in warm climates, so they are less useful as an indicator of water quality. Despite relatively low levels of bacteria, the waters off Copacabana and Ipanema beaches—the sites of Olympic swimming events, as well as popular sites for tourists—had high levels of rotaviruses, which cause gastroenteritis.

The article notes, “At those concentrations, swimmers and athletes who ingest just three teaspoons of water are almost certain to be infected with viruses that can cause stomach and respiratory illnesses and more rarely heart and brain inflammation—although whether they actually fall ill depends on a series of factors including the strength of the individual’s immune system.” Many of the athletes are taking antibiotics ahead of the games and plan to wear protective plastic gloves and clothing during the events.

Valerie Harwood, chair of the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of South Florida, is the one warning the athletes not to put their heads underwater. Harwood, who co-authored this article for Stormwater magazine called “Beating Bacteria,” notes that adenoviruses can be particularly dangerous for young children. The viruses can survive in beach sand as well as in the water.

Sadly, the Olympic Games were to be the catalyst for cleaning up Rio’s waters. In its 2009 Olympic bid, the city pledged to invest a billion dollars toward the cleanup—something that would benefit the city long after the games were over.

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