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The Paris Olympics’ $1.5 Billion Poop Problem

The Journal.

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Transform Ambition into Action

The ambition to clean up heavily polluted rivers can be realized through strategic investments and infrastructure projects. Significant funding can be mobilized by leveraging major events like the Olympics. Two main approaches are employed: first, using sand-based products to reduce bacteria levels, akin to maintaining a giant fish tank, while simultaneously clearing debris. The pivotal strategy involves constructing a massive underground reservoir to store excess sewage during heavy rainfall, thus preventing immediate discharge into the waterways. This reservoir acts as a crucial mitigation measure, allowing for better management of sewage and treatment processes. The construction of such a large-scale system requires immense planning and effort, likened to building cathedrals, and highlights the city's commitment to environmental restoration, successfully preventing substantial volumes of sewage from contaminating the river.

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