CNN
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For the first time in more than a century, Parisians and tourists can have a refreshing dip on the Seine. Following last year’s 1.4 billion euro ($1.5 billion) cleanup project suitable for Olympic Games, the long-term contaminated waterway has opened as a summer swimming spot.
Three new swimming sites in Paris Riverbank will open on Saturday. One is near Notre Dame Cathedral, the other is near Eiffel Tower and the third in eastern Paris.
Swimming on the Seine has been illegal since 1923, with a few exceptions, due to the pollution and risks brought about by river voyages. For safety reasons, it is still prohibited to consume bathing areas outside.
The Seine was one of the stars of the 2024 Parisio Games, whether it was the ambitious opening ceremony or the scene of a triathlon and marathon swimming event. It didn’t go without challenging hurdles such as bacteria with increased levels of rainfall.
City officials have given green light for public disclosure, and water quality results have consistently achieved results in line with European regulations.
“Reclaiming the river is an iconic moment,” said sports coach and influencer Lucille Woodward, who will be taking part in the first amateur open water competition on the Seine on Sunday.
Woodward, who enjoyed a dip with Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo just before the Olympics began, is sure things will go well.
“We’ll swim there, we’ll be there and set an example,” she said. “When people see it in the end, there are hundreds of people who enjoy it and enjoy it, so everyone wants to go!”
“It’s extraordinary for the family, to soak up with the kids and make a small splash in Paris,” Woodward added.
Olympic athletes competing on the river were an epic reward for the cost of their cleanup efforts.
In the preliminary stage of the game, authorities opened new disinfection units and created a huge storage basin intended to prevent as much drainage as possible, including bacteria, when rain falls.
Houseboats that previously empty sewage directly into the river had to be connected to the city’s sewer system. In a house upstream from Paris, we saw wastewater connected to the therapeutic plants instead of a stormwater system flowing directly into the river.
Pierre Labadin, vice mayor of Paris, said the water is being inspected daily to ensure it is safe. Like French beaches, flags of different colors will let visitors know if they are able to enter.
“Green means good water quality, red means it’s not good or it’s too much current,” he said.
Rabadan said there were only two exceptions due to rain and boat-related pollution.
“We can’t bet on the number of days we have to close this summer, but the water quality seems to be better than last year,” he added. “We are in the natural environment… so there is an inevitable impact on fluctuations in weather conditions.”
Several athletes got sick after competing in triathlons and open water races during the Olympics last year, but it was not clear in most cases if the river was due to their illness.
World Aquatics highlighted that the conditions met the sport’s accepted threshold.
“The legacy of these efforts is already clear, and the Seine is currently open for public swimming. This is a positive example of how sports promote long-term community benefits,” the organization said in a statement to the Associated Press.
Scepticism remains about water quality
Dan Angelescu, founder and CEO of Fluidion, a water monitoring technology company based in Paris and Los Angeles, has been testing bacterial levels on the Seine on a daily basis and independent basis for several years. Despite being in line with current regulations, official water testing methods are limited and underestimates bacteria, he said.
“What we’re looking at is that the water quality of the Seine is very diverse,” Angelesch said. “We only have a few days during the swimming season, but we say the water quality is acceptable for swimming.”
“What we can say is that we can raise our hands and say what we look. Science today doesn’t support the current assessment of water safety used in rivers around Paris, and I think there’s a huge risk that we’re not caught at all,” he said.
Some Parisians have expressed skepticism about the idea of swimming in the Seine. Often, the senses are enhanced by the murky colour of water, floating trash, and multiple tourist boats.
Real estate agent Ennis said he was “a little tired of swimming.”
Until the end of August, the swimming site will be open for free at scheduled times to those who are 10 or 14 years of age, depending on location. The lifeguard carefully looks at those first dips.
“It’s an opportunity and dreams come true,” said Clea Montanari, project manager in Paris. “If the Seine can drink, will that be the ultimate goal? But it’s really good to be already swimming.”
