Unwell water
On sick swimmers, national pride, and why we're 1.5 billion people behind the curve
The polluted condition of the Seine has been bad enough to cause some physical distress for Olympic athletes who came into contact with the river for their competitive events. That, in turn, has been the cause of some loss of face for the French, who are otherwise viewed as a wealthy and advanced country.
■ While the French situation is a matter of pride over a choice to use a river (when alternatives could have been available -- Toyko built all-new, man-made venues for the 2020 Games), there are still 1.5 billion people on this planet who don't have access to basic sanitation services, like toilets or latrines. That's unconscionable in this day and age.
■ As many as 4 million people suffer from cholera every year, of whom as many as 143,000 may die. Meanwhile, an estimated 1.7 billion cases of dysentery are suffered each year.
■ These are thoroughly preventable diseases; the basic technologies to rehabilitate polluted water and to purify raw water in order to make it drinkable have been proven for well over a century. So while France is losing face over its polluted river, much greater real suffering takes place outside of the spotlight every day because basic sanitation and potable water services are not yet universal.
