Olympic Waters Still Full of Raw Sewage

Just days before the Olympic Games are scheduled to begin in Rio de Janeiro, apparently the waters there are just as filthy as ever. Raw human sewage, dangerous viruses and bacteria, trash and God knows what else is swimming around everywhere, according to a new AP study.

Nearly 90 percent of the test sites tested positive for infectious cultures which, according to biomedical expert Valerie Harwood from the University of South Florida, is "unheard of" in surface waters in the US. "You would never, ever see these levels because we treat our waste water. You just would not see this."

The Australians are complaining too. And not just about the water. Ceilings in their rooms are falling in, exposed wires and needing buckets to catch water leaks are also problems. The accommodations in Rio's Olympic village are described as 'unlivable'.

In the AP report, not only are the 1,400 athletes at risk of becoming violently ill in the water competitions, but their tests indicate that tourists will also be facing potentially serious health risks on the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana.

The most contaminated points are said to be the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, where the Olympic rowing competition will take place, and at the Gloria Marina, where the sailing races are to start.

Raw sewage continues to flow into the Gloria Marina through storm drains. The AP study shows up to 1.7 million times what would normally be considered worrisome concentrations of sewage in the United States or Europe. At those concentrations, the swimmers and athletes who ingest just three teaspoons of water will almost certainly be infected with viruses that can cause stomach and respiratory illnesses and potentially heart and brain inflammation.

The danger is not only in the water. The beach sand has been tested at Copacabana and Ipanema revealing high levels of viruses, which recent studies suggest can pose a health risk - particularly to babies and small children.

The beaches are so bad that they even violate Rio state's own standards, which are much less stringent than those in the US.  But athletes who have trained a number of years to have a chance at Olympic glory have apparently resigned themselves to competing in the filth. However, tourists may not realize the dangers.

Rio has been trying to clean up its waterways for decades. A promised billion-dollar investment in cleanup programs was supposed to be among the games' most important legacies, but the lofty promises have almost all ended in failure.

Planning on a trip to the games this summer? Not me.