Despite efforts to clean the Seine in Paris, including investments of $1.5 billion, heavy rainfall has led to increased bacteria levels and poor water quality.
Swimming in the Seine has been banned since 1923 due to pollution levels, and the river was once declared biologically dead.
Several test events and dress rehearsals for the Olympic events on the Seine have been canceled due to the river's poor conditions, raising concerns about athlete safety.
While Paris officials remain confident that the swimming events will proceed as planned, the pollution levels and weather conditions continue to pose challenges, with the current water quality not meeting standards for swimming. Organizers are considering postponing the open-water events rather than changing the location if the water quality does not improve.
The water quality degradation is attributed to recent rainy weather, resulting in high river flow, low sunshine, below-average temperatures, and upstream rain-related discharges into the river.
Rehearsals for the opening ceremony have been postponed due to the high flow of the river, and concerns remain about potential safety hazards for Olympic events on the Seine, including the opening ceremony, due to the high flow and unfavorable weather forecasts.
Paris police chief Laurent Nunez has addressed security concerns, emphasizing high alert levels and the unprecedented mobilization of military forces, including snipers and tactical units, for the Paris Olympics, particularly during the opening ceremony on the Seine.
This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq
Sources: Business Insider, Newsweek, Axios, Le Monde, Actual News Magazine, Voce di New York, Inside the Games, Jamaica Observer, Bobr Times, and Head Topics.