PARIS – The Seine River has been one of the stars of the Olympics — whether as the scene of the ambitious opening ceremony or as the Games’ choice for the triathlon and marathon swimming competitions.
The challenges to featuring the famed Paris waterway so prominently were considerable. The work that went into tackling one of the largest — concerns about its water quality — could be the Games’ biggest legacy for the river snaking through the French capital and arguably for Paris itself.
Authorities vow that their 1.4 billion-euro ($1.5 billion) cleanup efforts will allow a river that was so polluted Parisians were banned from taking a dip in it for a century to finally open up as a summertime swim spot. They also hope a cleaner river revitalizes the overall environment. Some experts are skeptical, however, and the Olympics have shown there still remain some hurdles ahead.
Results of daily testing during the Games showed the Seine’s water was not always in line with acceptable guidelines for illness-causing bacteria such as E. coli. That canceled several test swims and postponed the men’s individual triathlon by a day. Better results later allowed Olympic events to take place.
French President Emmanuel Macron claimed victory following the Olympic triathlon tests, calling it “a fabulous legacy for the Paris region’s residents who will be able to swim in and for biodiversity.”
Bathing spots for all
For many Parisians, swimming in the Seine has been nothing but a dream.
In the 1970s, only three to four fish species were living in the Paris section of the river, with waters deeply polluted from industrial activity. Now, around 35 fish species may need to get used to sharing the Seine.
A swimming test open to the public has been scheduled for mid-September ahead of a city promise that anyone can take a dip starting next summer.
Paris officials have identified three potential bathing spots, one close to Notre Dame Cathedral, another near the Eiffel Tower and a third in eastern Paris.
It is dependent on water quality results falling in line with European rules.
In a warming world, the river could help people stay cool during increasingly frequent heat waves. However, rain storms can wash runoff and wastewater — and, therefore, bacteria — into the river, and climate change is making weather more extreme.
Since 2017, Parisians have been swimming during the summer in the Canal de l’Ourcq, in a northern part of the capital. By contrast with the Seine, water in the Canal de l’Ourcq has been consistently found to be of good quality over the past few years, according to analyses reviewed by the Regional Health Authority.
A challenging cleanup
To get the Seine to a swimmable state, authorities opened new disinfection units and created a huge storage basin meant to prevent as much bacteria-laden wastewater as possible from spilling directly into the Seine when it rains.
Officials also have targeted houseboats that used to empty their sewage directly into the Seine, requiring them to hook up to municipal sewer systems or lose their berth.
Recent efforts are heading in the right direction, yet they’re still insufficient to guarantee clean waters, said Michel Riottot, a health and environment expert at the France Nature Environnement group.
That’s because when sewage networks become saturated with rainwater — especially during storms — they still discharge surplus into the Seine. Plus, when there is rain upstream in a region known for its grain farming, pesticides accumulate into waterways flowing into the Seine.
Since 2017, Parisians have been swimming during the summer in the Canal de l’Ourcq, in a northern part of the capital. By contrast with the Seine, water in the Canal de l’Ourcq has been consistently found to be of good quality over the past few years, according to analyses reviewed by the Regional Health Authority.
