Less than 24 hours after Olympic onlookers watched the Rio diving pool turn a murky shade of green, it now looks like the water polo pool is slowly growing something, too.
Now water polo pool is going green next to diving pool. #Rio2016 pic.twitter.com/AjCJGhk2qR
— Beth Harris (@bethharrisap) August 10, 2016
However, unlike yesterday’s brief mystery, we know the official reason why the Rio Olympics is inundated with greenish water: it’s algae, baby.
Update: Strangely, the IOC is now walking back algae as the sole explanation and is saying that a chemical imbalance occurred due to too many people using the pool, according to The New York Times. The international swimming federation says it was because the pool system simply ran out of chemicals.
Speaking with the Associated Press after yesterday’s algae problem, Olympic spokesperson Mario Andrada says that the puke-green hue was caused by a “proliferation of algae” primarily because of “heat and a lack of wind.” Officials assured Olympians that the water was tested and found completely safe.
Andrada additionally mentioned that the diving pool would return to a nice lovely blue color as of Wednesday (today), and it definitely didn’t do that. Instead, their algae problem has only multiplied. So take note, Tokyo. Maybe in 2020 consider an Olympic pool cleaning competition.
