After 100 years, the city of Paris is lifting a ban so that everyone can enjoy the Seine
After 100 years, Parisians will be able to swim in the Seine, providing much-needed relief as summer temperatures break records.
This summer, as temperatures rise in the French capital, city officials have announced that the Seine is clean enough to swim in—for the first time in over 100 years. The city broke heat records, with temperatures reaching 104°F or 40°C in June. As hotter days become the norm for the summer months, residents will now be able to enjoy the river as a place to cool off and get some relief from the heat.
The city has established three designated swimming areas, where it is estimated that around 1,000 people will be able to take a dip each day. There will be no entrance fee.
For decades, the river that winds through the iconic European city was so polluted that it was dangerous to even come into contact with the water. The ecosystem it once supported had been devastated. However, when Paris secured the 2024 Summer Olympic Games, officials sprang into action, planning to use the river to host several events. Thanks to these efforts, residents and visitors can now cool off in the Seine this summer.
How did the Seine become so polluted?
Before infrastructure improvements were made to reduce wastewater discharge into the river, the Seine served as an overflow channel when the city’s sewer systems were overwhelmed by heavy rainfall. Over the 20th century, this had a devastating impact on fish and wildlife, as E. coli and other harmful bacteria made the water unsafe.
NBC News reported that, over time, the amount of sewage entering the river grew to about 60 percent by the 1970s. Only three fish species were able to survive in the water, which had low oxygen levels and high concentrations of ammonia.
How did the city make the Seine safe for swimming?
All of the city’s efforts focused on reducing the amount of sewage entering the river. In total, around €1.4 billion (~$1.6 billion) was invested in the project. One of the major infrastructure upgrades was the construction of a massive underground reservoir capable of holding approximately 13 million gallons (49 million liters) of water, designed to prevent the need to discharge sewage into the Seine during heavy rainfall.
The Guardian reported that the city also connected around 20,000 homes to Paris’s sewage system, eliminating tons of waste that had previously flowed directly into the river. Additionally, a public information campaign was launched for the houseboats stationed along the river to encourage owners to dispose of their waste through the sewerage system, rather than directly into the river—a practice that had been common among many.
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