The Stream, August 17: New Mexico Rivers Reopen After Toxic Spill

The Global Rundown

Olympic sailors in Rio de Janeiro are being extra careful not to contract waterborne diseases. A water-cleaning book has been successfully tested in South Africa, Ghana and Bangladesh. River stretches in New Mexico have been reopened for use after a toxic chemical spill earlier in the month.

“We are taking appropriate supplements etcetera to keep immune systems up and I am sure most of the others are doing the same. In terms of sanitary practices, we want to keep hands and bodies clean.” — Peter Conde, high performance director for the Australian Olympic sailing team, on protecting sailors from the polluted waters of Rio de Janeiro. (Reuters)

By The Numbers

400 – Nearly that number of Olympic sailors are participating in a test event this week in Rio de Janeiro in advance of next year’s games, and many are taking special precautions to protect themselves from polluted water. Sailors are taking supplements to strengthen their immune systems and are following procedures to disinfect after contact with the waters of Guanabara Bay, which reports say contain dangerously high levels of viruses and bacteria. Reuters

Science, Studies, And Reports

A book with pages that can clean drinking water has been successfully tested at 25 locations in South Africa, Ghana and Bangladesh. The book’s pages, also printed with instructions for use, are meant to be torn out and used as filters. The pages contain tiny particles of silver or copper which kill bacteria in the water as it passes through the page. The book was able to remove more than 99% of bacteria in trials. BBC

On The Radar

Parts of the Animas and San Juan rivers in New Mexico were reopened for fishing, boating, and public drinking water supply sourcing on Saturday after toxic mine waste was inadvertently spilled into a tributary of the Animas by a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency investigation crew earlier in the month. Reuters