Concern is growing about the water quality of the Seine as the 2024 Olympic Games approach, highlighting a major health risk for athletes and users.
- The Surfrider association published an open letter expressing its concern about the pollution of the Seine which will welcome athletes in 110 days.
- “Out of 14 samples, taken both following heavy rains and on sunny days, only one allowed our team to conclude that the water quality of the Seine was even satisfactory at this given location” , declares the association.
- The said samples make it possible to know the concentration of two bacteria (E. coli and enterococci) indicating “pollution of fecal origin”.
Surfrider, as the only association working on a European scale on water quality and the health of users, carried out careful samples in the Seine at the Pont de l’Alma and the Pont Alexandre III, locations of the Olympic events . The results revealed a major concern: bacteriological contamination threatens the safety of athletes and courageous users wishing to cool off in the waters of the Seine.
Worrying health risks
Bi-monthly samples taken in the Seine revealed high concentrations of E. coli and enterococci, bacteria indicative of pollution of fecal origin. Of the 14 samples analyzed, only one presented satisfactory water quality, highlighting the urgent need for action to make the Seine swimmable and safe for all. The approach of the Olympic Games legitimately raises fears about the health of athletes and visitors.
Call for transparency and action
Faced with these findings, the Surfrider association is calling on the city of Paris and the Île-de-France region to provide clear information and guarantee access to sampling sites during the Olympics period. Continued monitoring of water quality is essential to protect the health of athletes and users, requiring a coordinated and effective response to resolve this critical situation within the allotted time frame.
Challenges to overcome to guarantee the security of the Games
A few weeks before the launch of the 2024 Olympic Games, questions persist about the capacity of the authorities to respect health standards and ensure the safety of participants. Surfrider expresses real concern about the feasibility of the measures planned to make the Seine suitable for swimming. It is imperative to act quickly and effectively to avoid any risk to public health during this major event: “If we have, until now, ensured careful monitoring of the water quality of the Seine, this will unfortunately no longer be possible in a few weeks due to the closure of the quays. It will therefore be impossible for the Surfrider team to continue taking samples. Through our open letter, we ask that we be allowed access to the sampling sites for the duration of the JOP in Paris. This would allow us to continue our monitoring of the water quality of the Seine and thus ensure the health of the athletes.”, she specifies in a press release.
