Controversy over water quality - The Mayor of Paris swims in the Seine before Olympia
The Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo went swimming in the Seine. She did this to show that the river is clean enough for the planned open water swimming competitions during the Olympics. Near City Hall, the Mayor swam alongside Paris Games Organizing Chief, Tony Estanguet. Swimming and crawling, they tested the water quality on a sunny summer day. Many onlookers and media followed the swimming event, during which the Prefect of the Ile-de-France region, Marc Guillaume, was also present. The Olympics will be opened on July 26.
For a long time, it had been debated in Paris whether the water quality was really good enough for Olympic swimmers to dive in. Over the past few years, 1.4 billion Euros were invested in sewage treatment plants and the sewage system in the Paris region to improve water quality. Now, for instance, sewage overflows into the river are prevented during heavy rain.
No more doubts about the planned competitions
Despite the controls, the water quality still left something to be desired for a long time in the last few months. The city explained this with the unusual wet weather and low temperatures. At higher temperatures and a lower water level in the Seine, pathogens would be broken down more quickly. The water quality has significantly improved recently, and only a few measurement values were still not within the limit. "We have no doubts that we can hold the competitions on schedule," said Pierre Rabadan, the deputy Paris Mayor responsible for the Olympics, a few days ago.
- Despite the success of Anne Hidalgo's swimming demonstration in the Seine, some international Olympic athletes expressed concerns about the water quality due to the controversy surrounding it.
- France, under the leadership of Mayor Anne Hidalgo, aimed to showcase the improved water quality of the Seine at the International Olympic Games in Paris.
- The planned open water swimming competitions during the Olympic Games in Olympia faced controversy due to concerns about the water quality in Paris, specifically in the Seine.
- In the midst of controversy over the Seine's water quality, the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris will feature open water swimming events, highlighting France's commitment to improving water quality in the city.
