"Dirty Water" Just Yesterday... 100,000 Dive In as Swimming Reopens After 102 Years

Swimming Banned in the Seine Since 1923
Over 2 Trillion Won Invested in Water Quality Improvements Ahead of Olympics
Unprecedented Heatwave Turns the River into a Popular Summer Retreat for Citizens

This summer, approximately 100,000 citizens flocked to the Seine River in Paris, France, where swimming was permitted for the first time in nearly a century. On the 27th (local time), the French daily newspaper Le Monde reported, "Amid the sweltering weather, countless citizens enjoyed swimming and playing in the Seine River to cool off."

Citizens who finished swimming in the Seine River in Paris are enjoying sunbathing. Photo by AP News

The Seine River, which had been labeled "dirty water" due to severe water pollution, had a swimming ban in place for 102 years since 1923. However, the French government launched a comprehensive water quality improvement project in connection with the 2024 Paris Olympics, investing a total of 1.4 billion euros (approximately 2.25 trillion won) to install large temporary storage tanks and other facilities to prevent polluted water from flowing into the Seine during heatwaves.

After extensive water quality improvements, swimming was permitted in some sections of the river starting in July. Three locations were opened: the Marie Canal opposite Saint-Louis Island in the 4th arrondissement in central Paris, the Bercy riverside in the 12th arrondissement to the east, and near the Grenelle port in the 15th arrondissement to the west. Each swimming area was equipped with amenities such as changing rooms, showers, and beach-style relaxation spaces.

Paris residents rushed to the swimming areas as soon as they opened. According to the Paris city government, about 20,000 people visited in the ten days following the opening, and about 100,000 people visited over the course of two months. With Paris experiencing an unusual heatwave this summer, the Seine swimming areas quickly became popular spots to escape the heat. As a result, the operating period, originally scheduled to end in late August, was extended through September. The Associated Press commented, "For Parisians, swimming in the Seine has become a 'must-do' activity."

However, the water quality of the Seine fluctuates between "moderate" and "good" according to European Union (EU) standards, and overall, it is considered inferior to that of the Han River. Concerns about water quality were also raised during the Paris Olympics. Events such as three triathlon races (men's and women's individual events and the mixed relay), men's and women's open water swimming (marathon swimming), and the Paralympic triathlon were held there. However, some practice races were canceled due to water quality issues, and some athletes reported health problems such as stomachaches and diarrhea. Athletes complained, saying, "We are trying to get used to the E. coli in the Seine," and "There was no consideration for the athletes."

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