Remember how many of us don’t like swimming in communal pools due to the fear of what could be lurking under the surface? Take that feeling and amplify it tenfold. That’s what it would feel like if you decided to dive into the Seine not too long ago. After nearly a century of prohibiting anyone from swimming in the Seine, the Paris Olympics triathlon events were looking to change that. But this wasn’t going to be an easy feat to achieve. The monumental task of clearing the river meant investing $1.5 billion in a large water storage basin.

As the infrastructure worked towards cleansing the water body, regular tests were being carried out to assess the water quality leading up to the Summer Games. Even though certain tests claimed it was safe to swim in, many weren’t convinced. The city’s mayor, Anne Hidalgo, made the bold decision to take a dive into the river for reassurance. While quite unexpected, many were surprised by this move. But things have recently taken a turn for the worse. Paris has been experiencing heavy rains for the past 48 hours. Will this have any effect on the triathlon events?

The odds seem to be stacked against the Paris Olympics triathlon

The French capital first ideated a thorough Seine clean-up plan all the way back in 1988. However, it eventually came to fruition in 2016 after they put in their bid for the Olympics. Even though it seemed to be working, it all seems to be in vain now. World Triathlon and Paris 2024 released a joint statement addressing how the recent tests claim the water quality has diminished considerably. “The priority is the health of the athletes.” The men’s and women’s triathlon events are set to take place on July 30 and 31, respectively.

Triathletes from all across the world were looking forward to familiarizing themselves with the course on July 28. But on July 25, the weather rained on their parade, quite literally. “The tests carried out in the Seine [on Saturday] revealed water quality levels that in the view of the international federation, World Triathlon, did not provide sufficient guarantees to allow the event to be held.” However, they reiterated that they are confident it will be safe to swim in before the start of the competitions.

But what does heavy rainfall have to do with the degrading water quality? The City of Light has a combined sewer system, leading to stormwater and wastewater sharing the same space. When heavy rainfall hits the city, the wastewater finds its way into the river. This has led to drastic E. coli bacteria levels in the Seine, making it unsafe for anyone to swim in. If the levels come up to 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters, the World Triathlon Federation will give the events a green light.

The Mayor swam in the river shortly before the games commenced

The French capital has consistently been working towards cleaning the Seine. They installed a basin beneath the Gare d’Austerlitz rail station along with a southern supersewer. However, many believed this was an unattainable feat. Nine days away from the Paris Olympics, Anne Hidalgo decided to test the waters herself. She had previously stated that when the water was safe enough to swim in, she would be the first one to jump in. Marc Guillaume and Tony Estanguet accompanied her.

Locals lined up against the river bank to watch their Mayor swim in the water. “It’s sweet and wonderful and the result of a lot of work. I remember at the very beginning in 2015 when we began our campaign for the Games, the international triathlon federation said why not a triathlon in the Seine? Will athletes be able to swim in the Seine? Today we can say they can,” she addressed the group after. Estanguet agreed with her sentiments, “Today we have confirmation that the Seine is swimmable and that the triathlon and marathon swimming competitions can take place in it.”

But what happens if the water quality continues to remain unsafe? The officials have a plan. The events have added two days to the program. If the issue persists, they will postpone the event to August 1 and 2. However, if that doesn’t work out, they will then drop the swimming leg from the competition, converting the event into a duathlon. Even though the swimming practice was canceled, the biking and running practices went on as planned. Do you think we will get to witness the serene sight of swimmers in the Seine?