June 28, (THEWILL) – The River Seine is currently unfit for swimming just one month before the Paris Olympics, according to recent water quality tests. Results released by the Paris Mayor’s office on Friday, reveal that the river is failing to meet the required standards for hosting the open-water swimming competition and the swimming leg of the triathlon.
Tests conducted last week showed alarmingly high levels of E.coli bacteria, a key indicator of faecal contamination. On June 18, E.coli levels were recorded at 10 times the acceptable limit. At no point during the testing period did the levels fall below the World Triathlon Federation’s upper limit of 1,000 colony-forming units per 100 millilitres (cfu/ml). While enterococci bacteria levels were somewhat better, they still exceeded safe limits on several days.
The Paris Mayor’s office attributed the poor water quality to “unfavourable hydrological conditions, little sunshine, below-average seasonal temperatures and upstream pollution”. These factors have contributed to the river’s degraded state, despite significant efforts to improve water quality in recent years.
French authorities have invested €1.4 billion over the past decade in an attempt to clean up the Seine. This investment has focused on upgrading Paris’s sewerage system and constructing new water treatment and storage facilities. However, major storms continue to overwhelm parts of the capital’s wastewater network, some of which date back to the 19th century, resulting in untreated sewage being discharged directly into the river.
Despite these setbacks, Olympic organisers remain optimistic. They assert that a period of dry weather and sunshine in July should be sufficient to improve the Seine’s water quality in time for the outdoor swimming events. The river’s current high water levels and increased flow rate, approximately four to five times higher than usual summer levels, are expected to subside, potentially aiding in the improvement of water quality.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
