Paris Set to Reopen Seine River to Swimmers After 100-Year Ban Due to Pollution

The French government will spend $1.6 billion on a regeneration project that will clean up the river and make it safe for swimming.

The project is being hailed as a success and will feature three Olympic events in 2024, including triathlon, marathon swimming, and Para-triathlon.

Swimming was banned in the Seine in 1923 due to the filthy water caused by industrial sewage and a burgeoning population.

The water quality was so poor that only three species of fish were recorded in the city by the 1960s.

Former French President Jacques Chirac made the first promise to open the Seine to swimmers 25 years ago, but it could not be realized during his lifetime.

The chosen sites for the bathing zones will be located opposite the central Ile Saint-Louis, by the Quai de Grenelle, and at Bercy.

The areas will be monitored by lifeguards and marked by buoys, and facilities will be available for swimmers to change and shower.

Regular water tests have indicated that waterborne bacteria are now at safe levels for swimming over 90% of the time, and extensive daily testing will be conducted when the river is officially opened for bathing.