Tecta-PDS announced that it has partnered with the International Triathlon Union (ITU) for delivering fast and reliable microbiological water quality tests in ITU sanctioned events.
The Tecta portable laboratory, already implemented in the 2019 ITU World Triathlon Olympic Qualification Event in Tokyo, allows the ITU staff to obtain results of E. coli and Enterococci bacteria in the body of water tested in less than 12 hours.
“For ITU, the health and safety of our athletes is our first priority, but also is a priority our commitment with the clean environments, sustainability, and legacy wherever we go, and with this partnership we show once again that we are not only talking, we are taking actions,” said Marisol Casado, president of ITU and member of the International Olympic Committee. “Partnering with someone that will help us swim in cleaner environments, work with LOCs to improve the water quality everywhere we go, and leave that legacy to the host cities is something of paramount importance not only for our organization, but also should be a priority for all, to do our contribution to make the world a better and cleaner place.”
During the four days of the Tokyo Test Event, the ITU Team performed two daily tests of the water at Odaiba Bay. Both the tests performed by the Tecta Laboratory and in the LOC Laboratory showed low levels of E. coli and Enterococci in the days leading up to the event. The portable Tecta Lab provided information about water quality within 12 hours. The results from the LOC laboratory, which came back 48 hours later, confirmed the ones provided by Tecta.
“For us, partnering with Tecta means that we are able to have results of the water quality tests in such a short period of time allows the technical team on site to take decisions in the last minute, always according to the quality of the body of water,” said Gergely Markus, sports director of ITU.
The rapid E. coli results from the portable laboratory proved to be crucial to maintain the health and safety of all athletes, preventing potential illness. Results from the Tecta Lab confirmed the breach of a protective curtain on August 16th and 17th. The ITU decided to cancel the swim leg of the Paratriathlon event, as well as the swim familiarization for the Mixed Relaym due to the results of the water quality testing.
“We are thrilled to be partnering with ITU and have the opportunity to help identify issues in the water quickly and effectively, making their events safer for the athletes,” said Tim Adams, EVP of Tecta-PDS. “Our technology was successful in ensuring the last Commonwealth Games in Australia went on without incident, and we were extremely pleased to be involved with the recent ITU World Triathlon Olympic Qualification Event in Tokyo as well. We truly believe there is not a better, faster or more accurate way to test the water, and we look forward to working closely with the ITU towards maintaining our mission of keeping everyone safe and healthy.”
The International Triathlon Union (ITU) is a non-profit organisation that plans, develops, organizes, and delivers ITU events such as the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, the ITU World Triathlon. ITU also supports development of the sport triathlon worldwide and offers a balanced sport development program from grass roots to a high-performance level.
Tecta-PDS, originally known as Pathogen Detection Systems, was formed in 2003 as a direct result of the disaster in Walkerton, Ontario. Seven people died and several thousand became ill as a result of fecal contamination of drinking water. Over the years, the core value of the company has never changed and it remains committed to ensure a Walkerton disaster never occurs again in any part of the world. The company’s systems are being used for municipal and industrial applications in over 35 countries.
