Feature: Rio's Olympic countdown: Will the city be ready?

One year out from the first Olympic Games in South America, Rio 2016 organizers say the city's preparations are on track and within the forecast budget.

Despite concerns from local and international media about water pollution and logistics bottlenecks, Rio 2016 deputy CEO Leonardo Gryner told Xinhua that preparations are "exactly where we would expect them to be".

"The biggest challenge now is that we are turning ourselves into an operational organization," Gryner said. "Until now we have been planning venues, planning lots of different aspects of the city, the flow of people and how to split our operations around the city.

"But that part is over. We have finished all of the planning and now we turning into an operating organization. We are going through a reorganization. The venue managers are the new leaders. We will be organized as a series of venues. The whole functioning of this organization will come from the venues up."

Media reports have shed light on Rio's ongoing challenge to clean Guanabara Bay, which will host Olympic sailing. Likewise, there have been concerns about water quality at the Rodrigo de Freitas lake, which will stage rowing and canoeing.

According to Gryner, work is being carried out to ensure both venues are suitable for competition.

At Guanabara Bay, eco-barriers are being placed in the water to prevent waste flowing in from connecting rivers. Eco-boats are also being used to collect rubbish from the water's surface.

"It's a huge bay and we have challenges here that will take 10 years or more to fix," Gryner said. "The water comes from 11 rivers that are part of 16 different cities around the bay. In order to clean this bay we have to stop throwing garbage and waste into the rivers that flow into the bay. It's a huge challenge."

In addition to eco-barriers and eco-boats, the government is redirecting a large storm water outlet at Marina da Gloria - where sailing events will begin - to Ipanema beach in the city's south.

Gryner said that these measures, along with the strategic placement of the course, ensured sailing events would not be impacted by pollution.

"We are placing the yachting course along a channel which, because of its width and depth, has a very constant change of water with the open sea. It's clean water with dolphins living there. If you go now to any of the locations where we will host races, we have water that is at good levels according to any international standards.

"In 2009, when we bid, only 12-13% of the sewage that went into the bay was treated. Now that's a little bit over 50%. We promised to treat 80%. We will achieve 20% less than that but the conditions will still be enhanced considerably as a result of the Olympic Games.

When asked about the suitability of Rodrigo de Freitas lake, Gryner replied: "The lake is in better shape than the bay. There is a pipe that goes around it and collects sewage that flows there and takes it to treatment centers.

"In Rio people sometimes connect their sewage system from their house into the drainage. Cedae [Rio's water utility] has a robot which goes inside the pipe and identifies every illegal connection to the system, closes it, and fines the offenders."

One problem that is not so easily resolved at the lake, according to Gryner, is garbage.

He said trash found its way into the water from a network of surrounding rivers, complicating the cleanup project.

Another controversial issue for organizers has been the Olympic golf course, which is located next to a nature reserve.

Environmentalists say the course has threatened native animal and plant species. But Gryner said it has had a contrary effect.

"The golf course was a very damaged and degraded area due to wrongdoings in the past," he said. "People devastated the vegetation and the animals that lived in the area.

"Since we started [developing] the golf course there has been a plan to restore wildlife in the area and we have seen the return of animals and plants since the project began. Now there are capybaras, alligators and lots of birds. Capybaras like to eat our grass, but fortunately alligators like to eat capybaras so it's a natural balance that nature takes care of."

While work continues apace at the Deodoro and Barra Olympic Park venue clusters, contracts are yet to be signed for the construction of temporary venues for beach volleyball mountain bike riding, BMX, equestrian, triathlon and the swimming marathon.

Local power distributor Light is also yet to tender contracts to build and operate a temporary network that provides electricity to venues.

Perhaps of all the issues surrounding the Games preparations, the most sensitive has been the relocation of residents from the Vila Autodromo slum.

Located directly next to the Olympic Park complex, Vila Autodromo is disappearing fast as bulldozers destroy the remaining homes.

Residents have been offered alternative housing and even financial compensation to leave, but some have refused.

According to Gryner, there have been no forced evictions and residents may stay, if they choose.

"We think the city acted very properly in this case," he said. They went to the community and offered new housing for the people. The ones that decided to move are enjoying the new housing and the ones that decided to stay have stayed. There were no forced evictions. They have been offered a choice. I think it was the proper way to address the situation."

Despite the difficulties, Gryner said the vast majority of Rio's inhabitants supported the Games, due mainly to a long list of legacy projects.

Among them, he said, is the redevelopment of the city's port region, a new subway line, additional express bus lanes and a light rail service.

In addition, organizers say the public recognizes that more than half of the Games' estimated 12 billion US-dollar budget is being bankrolled by the private sector.

"We run a series of surveys every month and the latest results showed we are in the range of 67% support from the general public, Gryner said.

"One of the reasons for this support is that people are already witnessing the legacy. They didn't have to wait until 2016 to use express bus lanes and new roads. They are very happy. They are shortening their daily journey by more than 40 minutes each way and improving their lives.

"There are a series of deliverables that have been finished already and people are experiencing things that were promised during the bid period. I think that's one of the main reasons for the support that we are enjoying from the general public." Endi