Brazil: Activists denounce sewage in Rio de Janeiro waters
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Activists alleging that decades of neglect and authorities' repeated failure to make good on cleanup promises have effectively killed one of Rio de Janeiro's most iconic waterways staged Saturday a symbolic burial of the Guanabara Bay, the sewage-filled waters where Olympic sailing competitions are to be held.
The event's organizer, biologist Mario Moscatelli, said the event was among last-ditch efforts to force state authorities to keep their promise of cleaning up the bay before the Aug. 5-21 Games.
Sewage pollution has become a major issue in the run-up to the Olympics since last year, when The Associated Press published the results of an independent study showing astronomical viral levels from untreated sewage in all of Rio's water venues, where 1,400 Olympic swimmers, rowers, sailors, canoeists and triathletes will compete.