Men’s triathlon postponed after heavy rain makes Seine too polluted

Olympics organisers have postponed the men’s triathlon because of concerns over water quality in the River Seine, but how, after such heavy investment, has it come to this?
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Levels of E. coli and other bacteria in the river are known to rise following the sort of heavy rain that deluged the city during Friday’s opening ceremony.

Saturday’s training events, designed to allow triathletes to get to know the course, had to be cancelled over water-quality concerns as the downpours continued.

Wednesday at risk

Organisers say they will try to hold the men’s triathlon on Wednesday, when the women’s event is also due to take place, but both are subject to water tests and Friday is a reserve day.

But further storms are forecast for Tuesday night and Thursday, according to Meteo-France, with light rain expected on Wednesday afternoon, which could complicate rescheduling the events.

Olympics latest: Storm alert for Paris

In a statement, organisers said their “priority is the health of the athletes”, adding: “Despite the improvement in the water quality levels in the last hours, the readings at some points of the swim course are still above the acceptable limits.”

Heat warning

The opposite problem, high temperatures, could affect the rescheduled competition, as it will start later, at 10.45am, and could therefore finish during the hottest part of the day.

Wednesday’s temperatures in the French capital could reach as high as 95F (35C).

Image:
Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo takes a swim in the River Seine to make a case for its suitability for swimming in. Pic: AP

The women’s race is set to go forward at 8am as originally planned.

Organisers and city officials had said they were confident bacteria levels would improve as skies cleared and temperatures warmed in the days that followed, but that apparently wasn’t sufficient to ensure the athletes’ safety.

Image:
Organisers wanted the River Seine to play a prominent role in the Olympic Games in Paris.
Pic: DPA/AP

A long-running problem

While Paris 2024 organisers were keen on holding events in the Seine, there were fears the water quality in the city’s iconic, but long-polluted river would make such plans impossible.

Paris has a combined sewer system, meaning both wastewater and stormwater flow through the same pipes.

When there are periods of heavy rainfall, the pipes can reach capacity and this wastewater – including sewage – overflows into the River Seine instead of being sent to a treatment plant.

An enormous effort was made to improve the water quality – at great expense – in order that the swimming portion of the triathlon and the marathon swimming event in August could be held in the famed river that runs through the city centre.

But bacteria levels have fluctuated.

Image:
The River Seine Pic: Reuters.

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Quality tests every day

The river’s water is tested daily for levels of fecal bacteria known as E. coli, with a safe limit of 900 colony-forming units per 100ml determined by European rules.

The data is published by monitoring group Eau de Paris each Friday.

High levels of E. coli in water can indicate contamination from sewage.

Most strains are harmless and some live in the intestines of healthy people and animals.

But others can be dangerous. Even a mouthful of contaminated water can lead to diarrhea, and the germ can cause illnesses such as infections in the urinary tract or in the intestines.

Image:
Spectators watch Olympic delegates pass along the Seine as the games opened. Pic: Reuters

Making the Seine swimmable

At a cost of 1.4bn euros (£1.18bn), organisers have built a giant basin to capture excess rainwater and keep wastewater from flowing into the river, renovated sewer infrastructure and upgraded wastewater treatment plants.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo very publicly took a dip in the water two weeks ago, as well as Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet, and the top government official for the Paris region, Marc Guillaume, along with swimmers from local swimming clubs.

Data released last week showed that E. coli levels at the Bras Marie on the Seine were at 985 units per 100ml that day, slightly above the established threshold.

Other swimming events planned in the Seine are the triathlon mixed relay on 5 August and the women’s and men’s marathon swimming events on 8 and 9 August.

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