SEINE IT AIN’T SO

Paris Closes River Seine to Swimmers One Day After Ending Century-Long Ban

Swimmers were permitted to swim in the Parisian river for the first time in more than 100 years.

The River Seine in Paris was shut down due to pollution concerns just a day after it was declared safe for swimming for the first time in over a century over the weekend. Swimming spots located near iconic Parisian landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame were opened to the public on Saturday after an extensive $1.6 billion cleanup operation—spurred on by the Paris 2024 Olympics—connected 20,000 homes to the sewage network, upgraded treatment plants and built rainwater reservoirs to prevent sewage overflows. Yet just a day later, heavy rainfall in the city caused the swimming spots to close once again due to concerns the downpours would cause Paris’ 19th century sewage system to overflow and dump polluted water back into the river. Other swimming spots in eastern Paris also due to open on Sunday were forced to remain closed after the rain “compromised water quality,” according to local authorities. Despite initial health concerns during Olympic events, successful races boosted confidence in public swimming, and the rivers are now tested daily for traces of E.coli and other bacteria which will render the waters unsafe for swimmers. The Seine swimming spots will be open free of charge across the city from now until the end of August.