Exactly one month before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, the results of the analyses all show an excessive presence of Escherichia Coli and enterococci in the water of the Seine. The concentrations of these bacteria exceed the recommended thresholds.
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One month before the opening ceremony, Wednesday June 26, the latest samples taken cast doubt on the possibility of carrying out the events planned for the Olympic Games. Whether it is the results of the samples published this week by the Surfrider association or the latest official analyzes made public on Friday by the prefecture of Île-de-France, the observation is the same: one month before the deadline , the Seine remains unsuitable for swimming due to an excessive presence of Escherichia Coli and enterococci. Bacteria that could harm the health of athletes by causing intestinal disorders.
The concentrations of these bacteria exceed the thresholds recommended both by the Regional Health Agency and those retained by the international triathlon and swimming federations to authorize the events. However, the State and local authorities have invested more than a billion euros to make the Seine suitable for swimming. New facilities have been put in place to store and decontaminate rainwater before it is discharged into the Seine. The Austerlitz retention basin, built in the heart of Paris, has just come into service. There was also an effect of the modernization of wastewater treatment plants and the gradual elimination of what we call non-compliant pipes which discharged dirty water directly into the Seine. Some 250 barges have been connected to the sewer system.
All this should make it possible to have good water quality in the Seine in summer conditions.
The exceptionally rainy weather this spring posed a problem. Rain sometimes mixes with wastewater, add to this the lack of sunlight and therefore ultraviolet rays, which have a decontaminating action, all these elements have had an effect on the deterioration of the water quality of the Seine. It has never rained so much in April and May for 30 years, says the Île-de-France prefecture.
Despite everything, the authorities remain optimistic at this stage for the holding of the Olympic events, and are counting on the return of seasonal weather, which could still allow an improvement in the quality of the water by the time of the first triathlon event, scheduled for July 30. Beyond the quality of the water, the flow of the Seine will also have to be reduced. Currently, the river displays a flow of more than 300 cubic meters per second, which is three times more than what is recommended for the safety of bathers.
