Test results published Friday raised concerns about the safety of swimming competitions in the Seine River during the upcoming Paris Olympics. The report, released by monitoring group Eau de Paris, indicated elevated levels of bacteria, including E. coli and enterococci, in the river’s water during the first eight days of June. These levels exceeded the limits deemed safe for athletes.
The report was published a day after a senior International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive expressed confidence that the races would go ahead as scheduled in the Seine near the Eiffel Tower. However, the final decision on whether the events are safe for athletes lies with the governing bodies of individual sports, such as World Aquatics and World Triathlon.
The safety of the Seine’s water for the Olympics has been under scrutiny since test events scheduled last August were canceled due to unseasonal heavy rainfall. According to European standards, the safe limit for E. coli is 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters. During the first eight days of June, test results showed that E. coli levels frequently exceeded these thresholds.
Rainwater infiltrates the sewer system, and to prevent street flooding, the excess water, carrying fecal bacteria, is diverted into the Seine. To address this, a massive reservoir capable of storing 50,000 cubic meters of water during heavy rainfall was inaugurated in May.
Despite the IOC’s confidence, concerns remain about the water quality of the Seine. Paris’ mayor, Anne Hidalgo, has promised to take a dip in the river before the start of the competition, but has postponed her swim until after the snap elections in France on July 7.
