Rio State Government Opens Bay to Post-Olympic Research

(ATR) Seven universities and three research centers will study Guanabara Bay for the next 15 years.

Rio de Janeiro state governor Luiz Fernando Pezao signed a technical cooperation agreement with the research bodies on Aug. 3 to fund continuing study on the bay after the Olympics are complete.

The research will continue for the next two decades, and includes the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Getúlio Vargas Foundation, and the Brazilian Navy in addition to the seven universities. Research will be conducted before and after the Olympics according to the state government, with a presentation by the group being made next year ahead of competition.

On Aug. 4, governor Pezao said that the biggest take away from the project will be an accessible database that will monitor the bay and analyze the results. He said that past investment has not been totally used, allowing for the implementation of this project.

"We know that the bay’s condition is far from ideal," Pezao said.

"It is a long way away, and this monitoring will help us a lot. It is an important legacy."

According to the state government, a total of $860 million has been spent to help clean up the bay in the last eight years. A total of seven treatment stations are in operation to clean sewage entering the body of water.

Rio de Janeiro set a goal of treating 80 percent of raw sewage flowing into Guanabara Bay for the Olympic Games. It is unclear if that goal will be fully met.

Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro

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