An overdue Olympic pledge to restore Rio de Janeiro’s lagoons is finally taking shape

By DIARLEI RODRIGUES and GABRIELA SÁ PESSOA
Associated Press

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — When Rio de Janeiro hosted the Olympics in 2016, videos of the extensive lagoon complex surrounding the Olympic Park were everywhere. Long polluted by sewage and garbage, many hoped the surge of investments tied to the international sports event would restore its waterways. That didn’t happen. Eight years later, a private concessionaire is working to recover the aquatic ecosystem in Rio’s western zone. The project aims to remove enough silt and filth from the Barra and Jacarepagua lagoons to fill 920 Olympic-size swimming pools. Dredging started in late April and is expected to take three years, according to Igua, the company that recently assumed control of water and sewage in the city’s western neighborhoods.