PARIS, France —In a bold move to demonstrate the Seine’s improved water quality, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo is set to swim in the river on Wednesday. This high-profile event aims to assure the public that the Seine is clean enough for the upcoming outdoor swimming events at the Paris Olympics.
Despite an investment of 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) to halt sewage leaks, persistent water test failures have cast doubt on the river’s suitability. However, recent tests following a period of sunny weather indicate that the water is now ideal for open-water swimming and triathlons.
“This event underscores the extensive efforts by the city and state to enhance the Seine’s water quality and ecological status,” Hidalgo’s office stated on Tuesday. Initially scheduled for last month, her swim was postponed due to elevated bacteria levels exceeding acceptable limits.
The anticipated swim has sparked humor and memes on social media, including a viral AI-generated image likening Hidalgo to Dobby from the Harry Potter series. A protest group, using the hashtag #jechiedanslaSeine (#IshitintheSeine), has called for upstream defecation in protest against the Socialists.
Joining Hidalgo on Wednesday will be Tony Estanguet, former canoeist and Paris Olympics organizer, and Marc Guillaume, Paris metropolitan area’s chief security officer. Notably absent will be President Emmanuel Macron, who is addressing a political crisis after announcing surprise parliamentary elections last month.
The Seine will host Olympic triathlon swimming events on July 30-31 and August 5, and open-water swimming on August 8-9. Previous Olympics, such as Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021, have faced challenges in selecting open-water swimming locations.
“While summer weather has been less than ideal, current conditions show the Seine is swimmable,” said Marc Balmassoni of the clean water campaign group Surfrider, which has been testing the Seine weekly since last year.
Cleaning the Seine is a key legacy project for Paris 2024, with plans to create three public baths for Parisians next year, a century after the swimming ban was lifted. “This initiative is driven by environmental goals, with the Olympics acting as a catalyst,” Estanguet explained.
French authorities have upgraded water treatment and storage facilities and are connecting numerous homes and canal boats to the sewer system. However, Paris’ aging underground sewer network still faces challenges during major storms, leading to untreated wastewater discharges and complications for the Paris 2024 organizers.
