Will the Seine be ready for competition during the 2024 Paris Olympics?
That’s the question that no one can answer right now.
The Olympics kicked off along the river with the Parade of Nations on Friday, with rain falling along certain parts of the Opening Ceremony.
Rain won’t help the Seine, which is contaminated with amounts of E. coli and other pollutants. When it rains, the sewers overflow as sediment, trash and human waste get washed into the river. That leads to bacteria like E. coli developing in the water, which would make swimmers sick if they consume it.
The latest measurements of E. coli showed the Seine at 591 colony-forming units, according to The Athletic — well below the 900-unit minimum. The water quality has improved in recent weeks due to a lack of rain, but Friday’s weather could change things ahead of the scheduled events in the Seine.
There are two events scheduled to take place in the river: triathlon and marathon swimming. The triathlon events will take place July 30 (men’s individual), July 31 (women’s individual) and Aug. 5 (mixed relay), while marathon swimming will be held on Aug. 8 (women’s 10 km) and Aug. 9 (men’s 10 km).
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo swam in the river last week to show how it was safe, but it remains to be seen if athletes will be able to dive in over the next two weeks.
