Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, has decided to postpone her planned swim in the Seine River. Initially scheduled for June 23, the swim will now take place between the second round of the legislative elections on July 7 and the start of the Olympic Games on July 26. This announcement was made to ensure that the event could occur without the distractions and logistical challenges associated with the elections.
Heavy rains in May and an unexpected flow rate of the Seine had already brought the feasibility of the June 23 date into question. The legislative elections and the need for thorough preparations have prompted this delay in an effort to make the swim a significant and popular event for Parisians. The city hall is planning to hold the swim on a Sunday to encourage public participation.
The swim, dubbed a “historic dive” by Anne Hidalgo, is part of a broader initiative to clean up the Seine and make it swimmable in time for the 2024 Olympics. The State and local authorities have invested €1.4 billion towards this goal. The river is set to play a major role in the Olympics, hosting events such as the opening ceremony, triathlon, marathon swimming, and paratriathlon.
Despite the investments and efforts, concerns remain over the water quality of the Seine, as demonstrated during the 'test events' in August 2023 that were largely canceled due to the presence of bacteria. The installation of the Austerlitz rainwater and wastewater retention basin, with a capacity of 50,000 cubic meters, aims to mitigate these issues by preventing untreated water from entering the river during heavy rains.
Daily sampling of the water quality is currently taking place upstream of the Olympic site. Given the challenges like flow rates and weather conditions impacting water quality, the organizers have a contingency plan to postpone the swim tests if necessary but will not change the location. Paris is also planning to open three public swimming areas in the Seine by the summer of 2025.
- The surprise announcement of legislative elections by President Emmanuel Macron added to the reasons for postponing the swim. The initial June 23 date was no longer feasible owing to adverse weather conditions and now the additional political events.
- Anne Hidalgo's expected swim is part of a broader environmental and infrastructural effort to make the Seine safe for the Olympics and future public use. The planned public swimming areas include the Bras Marie between the Marais and Île Saint-Louis, Quai de Bercy, and Bras de Grenelle near the Eiffel Tower.
