Paris has sailed. The Olympics and the Seine were not a hit-and-miss idea

On Friday evening, the Olympic Games, which were to be an extraordinary event in history, began. Paris was to witness the return of competitive swimming in the waters of the Seine for the first time in more than a century. In its conception, the ambitious €1.4 billion river cleanup project should make the competition possible. However, despite the ongoing Olympics, the Seine is still off-limits to swimmers. Is there still a chance for the planned competition to go ahead? The organizers of the Games and the Paris authorities are relentless in their efforts to improve water quality.

Water quality problems

During the opening ceremony of the Games on the Seine, accompanied by approx. 180 boats and 10,500. athletes from 206 countries, the first problems have already appeared. Triathlon training and other events had to be postponed due to water contamination. Recent tests showed that the level of E. coli bacteria in the river exceeded safety standards many times over. Intense rains have overflowed Paris’ sewage system, causing waste to be discharged into the river. After consultations with the Organizing Committee of the Games, the World Triathlon Association and the Paris authorities, it was decided to cancel training. Subsequent tests, conducted after Friday’s rainfall, confirmed insufficient water quality to safely conduct the competition.

The competition, which was scheduled to take place this morning, was also canceled due to poor water quality. In response to disappointing reports that the water quality is substandard, the men’s swimming race has been rescheduled for Wednesday, July 31 at 10:45 a.m., the World Triathlon Association website stated. However, weather forecasts, predicting rains for tomorrow, do not inspire optimism.

Was €1.4 billion sunk?

France has invested €1.4 billion in a comprehensive project to improve water quality in the Seine. The project included a series of infrastructure and technological measures to not only ensure safe conditions for athletes during the Olympics, but also to contribute to long-term improvements in the river’s water quality.

Main project activities:

• Construction of a giant retention reservoir. An underground retention reservoir with a capacity of 50,000. m³, connected to a 700-meter-long tunnel designed to capture excess rainwater during heavy rainfall. The stored water is gradually released into the sewer system, preventing the system from being overloaded and untreated sewage from entering the river.
• Upgrading sewer infrastructure. As of 2018. All boats in Paris must be connected to the city’s sewage system. The new regulations require each boat to be equipped with a valve and pump that divert wastewater into the city’s sewage system. In contrast, connections have been installed at each port to connect the boat to the city’s sewage system. This solution aims to reduce the level of bacteria and other contaminants in the water.
• Modernization of wastewater treatment plants. Existing wastewater treatment plants were upgraded to increase their efficiency and effectiveness in removing pollutants from wastewater before it is discharged into the Seine River.

Despite these efforts, heavy rainfall in recent days has revealed how vulnerable the city’s infrastructure is to extreme weather. In addition to the aforementioned measures, organizers have also invested in installing advanced filtration systems and increased water quality control. These events underscore the need for further investment and upgrades to sewer systems to prevent future incidents and guarantee the river’s environmental safety.

Water competitions at the Olympic Games

Triathlon, because of its athletic appeal, attracts considerable attention. However, the Olympic Games also offer a rich array of other aquatic competitions, which are traditionally popular with fans. This year’s program includes, among others:

• Swimming – one of the most popular Olympic disciplines, covering a variety of styles and distances, from short sprints to long-distance races;
• Water jumping – a discipline requiring not only precision, but also courage, with players performing complex acrobatics in the air before falling into the water;
• Water ball – a dynamic team game, combining elements of swimming and handball, played in the pool;
• synchronized (artistic) swimming – a spectacular discipline in which athletes perform synchronized choreography in the water, often accompanied by music;
• Rowing – a sport in which athletes must demonstrate not only strength, but also excellent technique and teamwork;
• Kayaking – including both slalom competitions on obstacle courses and races on calm waters.

Participation of Poles in water competitions

Poland has had a strong representation in aquatic competitions for years, and this year’s Games are no exception. Polish athletes are competing in several key disciplines, with hopes of winning medals:

• swimming,
• open water swimming,
• jumping into the water,
• rowing,
• kayaking,
• slalom kayaking,
• sailing,
• triathlon.

The first aquatic medal for the Red-Whites was celebrated by fans on Sunday, July 28, when Klaudia Zwolinska placed on the second step of the podium in the K1 slalom. Let’s hope this starts a good streak. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for our representatives and for favorable weather!