“When the story of these times gets written, we want it to say that we did all we could, and it was more than anyone could have imagined.” – Bono

Give a presentation to your class to raise awareness about the importance of water.  Email me and I will provide you with information.

Write an article, poem or story about the issue and publish it in your school paper or newsletter. Enter an essay contest or email it to us and we might post it on our website. (See Jake Hira’s essay below.)

Suggest the water crisis as a debate topic.

Begin a school-wide pledge to conserve water.

Spread the word about what we are trying to do, tell your twitter and Facebook friends.

Start your own club on campus.  Email me and I will give you ideas.

Share your experiences, ideas and photos. We will include them on our website.

STUDENT CONTRIBUTION

Rio Olympics Brings Awareness to Water Crisis
By: Jake Hira

With the 2016 Olympic Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro coming to a close in less than a week, millions of spectators still look on in concern for the safety and health of their athletes, and for good reason.

Many question the safety of these games after hearing about robberies at gunpoint and green, algae-infested pools. However, these problems are dwarfed by a far more insidious health hazard, lying hidden beneath the surface of this game’s open-water venues.

According to a study conducted by the Associated Press, the water in the games’ aquatic venues contain dangerously high amounts of human pathogenic viruses. The study shows that viral levels are at up to 1.7 million times what would be considered worrisome in the United States or Europe. Ingesting as little as three teaspoons of the virus-riddled water is all that it takes for someone to contract a serious illness. This poses a serious threat to the near 1400 competitors, especially those participating in open-water competitions, such as sailing, rowing, and marathon swimming. Despite being a such a critical concern, the underlying cause for the presence of these pathogens is quite simple.

And while many question how the health of the athletes fare, many fail to see the bigger
picture. Many fail to ask the question that is arguably the most important to ask.

What will become of Rio de Janeiro after the Olympic games conclude?

Evidently, at this time, many are concerned about the state of Rio’s water and how it will affect its temporary Olympic population. However, will people continue to show concern after the Olympics has finished or will they turn a blind eye like they have done for years? Unfortunately, the Olympics do not take the host country’s problems with them. The problems still remain, and the problems then become ignored.

For this reason, it is Students for Safe Water’s responsibility to raise awareness for the terrible state of Rio’s water. And the first step to doing so is to actually understand the reason behind this terrible problem. It is due to how the Brazilian government disposes of their waste and sewage. In the United States, Europe, and elsewhere, many measures are taken in order to treat and clean sewage waste so that it is safe to dispose of. In Brazil, however, there are no such measures, meaning that the waste the government is dumping into the oceans is teeming with pathogens.

Evidently, we must spread awareness about this malpractice in order to bring about a change in Rio and Brazil’s waste disposal methods. Furthermore, it is our duty to spread awareness of how one can contract a disease from the dangerous water in order prevent the spread of illness and to protect the people of Brazil. With proper information and vigorous spreading of awareness, we can make a difference.