Tokyo's outdoor swimming venue "dirty" just days before Olympics

Jul 20, 2021 | News On Japan

Jul 20, 2021 (Ruptly) - Concerns were raised about the smell and the quality of water of the Tokyo Bay, the outdoor swimming venue for the Olympics' triathlon, just days before the games are set to begin.

On Sunday, locals commented on Tokyo Bay's reported sewer smell.

In August 2019, E. coli bacteria was found in the water at over double the limit set by the World Triathlon. A test for the swimming part of the Paratriathlon was subsequently cancelled.

A resident, Hotehama, said, "In terms of 'athletes first,' I'm a little concerned about the dirty water. So, if possible, it would be nice to have the race in good conditions, without rain, because the water in Tokyo Bay gets dirty when it rains."

However, local councillor Shigeru Enomoto was quick to clarify the situation saying that "there is no such thing as a smell at all.”

"I don't think anyone who comes here for sightseeing would say it smells at all. That's because of the image. In fact, there is no smell. No, it doesn't. It is a lie to say that the sea in Tokyo smells bad," he continued.

"It's a bit nutrient-rich, so there is some turbidity with this kind of plankton. This is not dirty turbidity. It is planktonic turbidity, so there are lots of fish. However, the problem of discharging sewage is completely different. Everyone is aware that this needs to be improved, and we are in the process of working on it," he explained.

The Tokyo 2020 games will be held between July 23 and August 8 after being postponed for a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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