Police boats participate in a technical navigation rehearsal on the Seine river for the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, in Paris, on June 17, 2024. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP) (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA/AFP via Getty Images)
OAN’s Abril Elfi
3:40 PM – Saturday, June 22, 2024
A monitoring report from the city of Paris has revealed that the Seine river remains too dirty to accommodate the Paris Olympics triathlon and open-water swimming events.
Advertisement
According to the report, routine samples taken from June 10th to June 16th at various locations along the Seine revealed elevated levels of E. coli bacteria.
Paris organizes triathlon and marathon swimming competitions for athletes to take place in the Seine during the Olympics. According to The Associated Press, the men’s triathlon is the first such event and is set for July 30th.
The city of Paris spent roughly $1.5 billion cleaning up its outdated sewage system, which overflows into the river during periods of intense precipitation.
The latest report stated that the water quality was considerably reduced due to the unusually high rainfall in May and the recent wet days.
It also mentioned the absence of sunny days or times with reduced streamflow, which can aid in the reduction of bacteria.
“The sun does inactivate the bacteria,” said Helena Solo-Gabriele, a professor in the University of Miami’s department of chemical, environmental, and materials engineering.
Additionally, Solo-Gabriele noted that unsafe fecal matter levels in swimming pools could result in gastrointestinal disorders.
Although they haven’t done so yet, French President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo have promised to swim in the Seine to demonstrate its cleanliness.
Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts
Be the first to comment