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Ahead of Olympics, outcry grows over water pollution in sports
Quick Facts
- Paris plans to hold swimming sections of triathlons and marathon swimming events in the River Seine despite water quality concerns.
- The French capital region is spending €1.4 billion to clean up the river due to complaints about potential sewage levels.
- Experts warn that even stopping sewage from entering the river may not necessarily make the water safe for swimming.
Paris is facing growing concerns over water pollution as it prepares for the Olympics. The city has ambitious plans to hold the swimming sections of the triathlons and the marathon swimming events in the iconic River Seine, despite fears over the water quality. The French capital region is spending €1.4 billion to try to clean up the river after complaints from swimmers in warm-up events over potential sewage levels.
Despite efforts to clean up the river, experts warn that even stopping sewage from entering the river may not necessarily make the water safe for swimming. Persistent heavy rainfall causes locals canals to overflow, leading to waste water entering the river and increasing the concentration of bacteria. Money is being spent on special pumps and catch basins to prevent sewage from reaching the Seine.
Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet said the triathlon could even revert to being a duathlon, with just cycling and running, if the worst happens. E-coli, a bacteria found in human waste, is the big problem in the Seine according to water pollution charity Surfrider Europe. The issue of water pollution is not confined to Paris, as other developed Western nations have also faced similar challenges.
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