A second pool in the 2016 Rio Olympics recently turned green. This comes after the diving pool turned green on Tuesday, Aug. 9.
According to Vox, the 2016 Rio Olympics organizers attributed the pool's green color to "a proliferation of algae." Spokesperson Mario Andrada admitted to the Associated Press that they have done all the chemical tests.
Andrada also noted that the pool would be clear by Wednesday. However, it has not returned to normal and the discoloration has affected another pool - the one used by water polo players and synchronized swimmers at the outdoor aquatic center.
BuzzFeed added that the algae explanation matches with the fact that the pool also turned cloudy, aside from being green. "They're tiny, they're far too small to be seen by the naked eye," Dr. Stephanie Henson of the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton told the publication.
"But if conditions are just right then you get an algae bloom where it gets to the point where you can see the greenness in the water. Algae can multiply several times a day."
LA Times reported that FINA, or the International Swimming Federation, has revealed that the green color of the pool is caused by a problem with the pool's pH levels after the aquatic center ran out of chemicals for it.
Apparently, the water tanks ran out of some chemicals that are used in the water treatment process. Because of this, the pH level of the water was outside of the usual range and caused the discoloration.
FINA conducted tests on the water quality and stressed that the pools do not pose a risk to the health and safety of the athletes. There is also no reason for the competition to be affected in any way.
"The water quality at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre was tested and there were no risks for the athletes," the official 2016 Rio Olympics Twitter account posted. "We are investigating the cause."
