Paris Olympics Seine River pollution still deemed unsafe ahead of ‘I poop in the Seine on June 23’ protest

Water in the Seine River had unsafe levels of E.Coli less than two months before swimming competitions were scheduled to take place in it during the Paris Olympics. After Persistent heavy rains in the city, contamination levels in the first eight levels of June showed bacteria like E Coli and enterococci levels beyond limits judged safe for athletes.

The report was prepared and released by monitoring group Eau de Paris one day after a senior official from the International Olympic Committee said there were no reasons to doubt that the swimming races would run as scheduled in the downtown stretch of the Seine near the Eiffel Tower.

Races scheduled in the River;

The first olympic event going to take place in the cleaned up Seine River is men’s triathlon, consisting of a 0.9 mile swim, on the morning of July 30. The women’s triathlon is on the next day, July 31st and a mixed relay event on August 5, 2024.

Marathon swimming races over 6.2 miles are scheduled for both men and women on 9th and 8th August respectively, in waters that were historically polluted before a $1.5 billion investment in the olympics. 

IOC official Cristophe Dubi said after hearing an update from city officials and olympic organisers that, “We are confident that we will swim in the Seine in this summer.”

Unsafe water quality standards in Seine;

The safety of the Seine water for the Olympics has been in doubt after the tests conducted by Eau de Paris and after the unseasonal heavy rains in the city.

According to European standards, the safe limit for E Coli is 900 colony forming units per 100 millilitres. The World Triathlon Federation uses the same criteria to determine sufficient water quality for competitions.

During the first eight days of June, test results showed that E Coli levels exceeded the safe thresholds. Enterococci levels were better, mostly staying within safe limits. This was due to improved weather.

Rainwater infiltrates the sewer system of Paris, and to prevent street flooding, the excess water carrying faecal bacteria is diverted to the Seine river.

Parisians protest in relation to Olympic races being held in the river;

Swimming in the Seine river had been illegal since 1923. But for the conduction of the Olympic swimming games such as triathlons and paratriathlons, the French government cleaned up the river water by investing a sum of $1.5 billion. 

To prove the waters are safe for the hosting of these water races, French President Emmanuel Macron and Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo are to take a plunge in the Seine on the 23rd of June, 2024. 

In protest to this move, the residents of Paris have started a campaign with a hashtag ‘Je Chie Dans La Seine Le 23 Juin’ that translates into ‘I sh_t in the Seine June 23’. This means that residents will defecate  purposefully in the river waters on that day. 

For this reason, the security measures have been tightened up and water patrols by the police have been increased so that the protest is broken as soon as possible.