Paris Seine Reopening Derailed: Pollution Concerns Force Immediate Closure After Historic Swim Ban Lifted

The River Seine in Paris, just declared safe for public swimming after a century-long ban, has been abruptly closed due to immediate pollution concerns. This setback comes merely a day after sections of the iconic river, near landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame, were opened to the public this past weekend.

The historic reopening followed an extensive $1.6 billion cleanup operation, significantly spurred by preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympics. This massive project involved connecting 20,000 homes to the sewage network, upgrading treatment plants, and constructing rainwater reservoirs to prevent sewage overflows into the river.

However, heavy rainfall in the city on Sunday quickly led to the closure of the newly opened swimming spots. Authorities cited concerns that the downpours could overwhelm Paris’s 19th-century sewage system, potentially causing raw sewage to be discharged back into the Seine and compromising water quality. Other planned swimming areas in eastern Paris, slated to open Sunday, also remained closed due to the rain’s impact.

Despite initial health concerns during Olympic events, successful test races had previously boosted confidence in the river’s safety for public swimming. The waters are now subject to daily testing for E.coli and other bacteria to ensure swimmer safety. While the current closure is a significant setback, the Seine swimming spots are still slated to be open free of charge across the city from now until the end of August, pending water quality.

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