Polluted Rio Bay great concern to experts
People protest against the pollution of Guanabara Bay in Rio 
Sewage, garbage and oil leaks. These are, respectively, the main problems faced by the balmy Guanabara Bay, in Rio de Janeiro—the venue to host ten olympic sailing disciplines from August 2 to 9, when 324 athletes and 250 boats from over 30 countries will compete in the first of 45 events in the build-up to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.
According to analysts, the main source of the pollution of Guanabara Bay is the household sewage from the 15 surrounding municipalities, which is discharged into the bay untreated. The finding has been confirmed by the Committee of the Guanabara Bay Basin and also by experts on water resources and environment. Professor Paulo Canedo from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro says that the oil leaks are another contributing factor, though less significant than sewage and garbage.
The main source of the pollution of Guanabara Bay is household sewage
“Oil leaks make up the third largest source of pollution. When it happens, it’s regarded as a disaster and hits the headlines. But that’s only so because we’ve grown used to faeces. Newspapers should actually be showing how dirty our water is every single day,” he argued. In his opinion, it is necessary to set priorities. “ How should other factors, like oil, be addressed if we can’t tackle sewage and trash?” the professor questions.
He further says that “collecting sewage is not enough. We must treat it appropriately, so that the liquid waste is no longer that toxic. As for the solid part, the so-called mud from the treatment plant, should be taken to sanitary landfills.” Alexandre Braga, executive secretary at the Committee of the Guanabara Bay Basin, points out that other problems contribute to pollution, “such as inadequate dredging, the leachate from former dumps… But, the sewage we’re letting into the bay is definitely the greatest burden on our shoulders,” he states.
The main initiative from the State Secretariat for the Environment aimed at solving the problem is the Program for the Sanitation of the Municipalities Surrounding Guanabara Bay, which includes a $663-million investment to be made by 2016 in sanitation works in 15 municipalities. The goal is to make basic sanitation services reach 80 percent of Rio’s population by 2018.
Translated by Fabrício Ferreira
Fonte: Pollution in Guanabara Bay great concern to experts
