A water charity said on Monday that testing of the water in the Seine, where water events are scheduled to take place within four months during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics and Paralympics, found alarming levels of bacteria, including E. coli. Announced.
“A shadow looms over the water quality of the Seine,” the Surfrider Foundation Europe said in a social media post. The organization carried out 14 tests on different samples taken from two locations along the Seine between September 2023 and March 2024, with all but one showing poor water quality. announced that it had been done.
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The samples “revealed an alarming level of bacterial contamination on the Pont Alexandre III” and the site will be the starting point for the Olympic and Paralympic triathlon and marathon swimming competitions, the statement said.
“This pollution has many sources, from rainfall to malfunctioning sewage systems such as poorly connected barges and animal waste,” Surfrider said.
The organization called on those involved to take action within the remaining time in preparation for the games, which begin on July 26.
“The health effects of this pollution are serious, ranging from common infections such as otitis media and conjunctivitis to more severe infections such as staphylococcus,” the group said. “It is also an opportunity to reaffirm how valuable health is in all situations, but especially for athletes chasing big dreams of becoming Olympic champions.”
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Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has announced her intention to build three public baths on the Seine next year, making cleaning the river one of the key legacies of the Paris Olympics, according to France's AFP news agency. thing. About $1.5 billion has already been spent on upgrading stormwater treatment and sewage facilities, according to AFP news agency.
“In the first quarter of 2024, very large amounts of rainfall (250,000 ml in three months, twice the level in 2023) occurred, deteriorating water quality,” Governor Paris said in a statement to AFP. He added that water disinfection facilities were not in place. It had been in operation over the winter and was scheduled to start before the game.
“There has never been a question of making the Seine open for swimming all year round,” Marc Guillaume, Paris's top national security official, told the news agency.
Water quality will be affected by the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and 2016 Rio Olympics.
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