(ATR) Rio 2016 has responded to concerns about the water quality for 2016 Olympic sailing and windsurfing.
Brazilian researchers reported this week that they had found "super-bacteria" along the Carioca River and the waters off Flamengo Beach. The BBC reports that nearly 70 percent of raw sewage in Rio, hundreds of millions of gallons per day, enters the waters of Guanabara Bay.
The government is responsible for water quality and has been conducting a study in partnership with the UFRJ (Rio Federal University) since February 2013.
In a statement, the Rio State Government sought to quell fears about health concerns for Olympic sailors.
It emphasized that KPC bacteria was not very resistant in the environment, especially in salt water where it is very weak. Officials said it was "not an aggressive bacteria" – only people with weakened immune systems were at risk of being affected in any way.
"There is no need for alarm. In beaches approved as appropriate, the possibility of the presence of this bacteria is minimal, almost nil," the statement said.
Rio 2016 also downplayed the issue.
"We were alerted to a possible presence of KPC type bacteria in some parts of the Carioca River in September," a spokesman told ATR.
"We talked to experts from government and the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation and since then have monitored the issue.
"Rio 2016 created a task force regarding this matter. The group will continue to monitor the matter very closely and discuss with the government and with specialists the solutions to prevent contamination of the water and continue to guarantee the safety of athletes. This issue does not impose any change in our planning for the test events and competition events."
Reported by Mark Bisson
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