Tokyo plans underwater screens to improve Bay water quality for Olympics

The organising committee of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics on Thursday announced that they will experiment with underwater screens in Tokyo Bay, which is scheduled to host the marathon and triathlon competitions, to improve water quality.

Toshio Muto, director general of the Tokyo organising committee, said at a press conference that the screens would help improve water quality after tests last year had revealed an unusually high amount of bacteria levels in the water of the Bay, reports Efe.

Water samples taken from the Odaiba Marine Park in Tokyo Bay, where the marathon and triathlon competitions will be held, had revealed high levels of coliform bacteria (including E. coli), which exceeded the standards set by the international federations of both sports.

The organisers had blamed the excessive bacteria level on heavy rain in the region last autumn, which they say, had increased the flow of wastewater into the bay.

"The screens will be installed in July and August around this artificial beach to prevent the influx of wastewater and the water will be re-analysed for contamination levels," added Muto.