"Clean and safe"

Paris mayor wants to swim in the Seine

Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris, wants to swim in the Seine in mid-July to demonstrate the cleanliness of the river.(Bild: AFP/Johanna Geron)

The Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, wants to swim in the Seine in mid-July to prove that the river is clean and safe. "The exact date depends on the weather," she said on Wednesday. She had originally wanted to swim in the Seine in June.

However, a test swim in the Parisian river was postponed almost two weeks ago - officially because the river was carrying too much water. A few days later, it was announced that the water was not yet of the desired quality. When there is heavy rainfall, the water is generally increasingly contaminated, but in recent months it has generally become much cleaner.

Here you can see a post by Mayor Anne Hidalgo.

1.4 million euros spent
In total, the state has invested around 1.4 billion euros to connect numerous households to the sewage system that previously discharged their wastewater into the Seine. In addition, a huge overflow basin was built in Paris to prevent the sewer system from overflowing into the river during heavy rainfall. It can hold up to 50 million liters of water; this week it held 40 million liters after heavy rain.

The Seine plays an important role in the Paris Summer Games: On July 26, around 100 boats carrying athletes are due to sail down the river during the opening ceremony. According to Mayor Hidalgo, there is no plan B. The triathlon and open water competitions will also be held in the Seine. If the water quality is too poor, consideration will be given to postponing the competitions for a few days.