Parisian poop water continues to cast doubt on the Triathlon and other open-water swimming events at the Olympics. The Seine is not clean.
Should the events not go on as planned, it would mark a tremendous failure by the French government.
Paris is split down the middle by the Seine. It is referred to as a river, but it is really a drainage basin that runs through the center of the city. Even if you have not been to the City of Lights, you know the one.
Swimming in the Seine has been illegal for more than a century because water quality is so poor. Paris’ old infrastructure cannot handle heavy rains so literal sewage water leaks into the basin during storms.
Sewage carries bacteria. Most prominently E. coli.
When bacteria-laden feces spills into the Seine, the water in the Seine is contaminated. France spent $1.5 billion (with a B!) to try and fix the issue before the Olympics. The goal was (and still is) to host the swimming leg of the men’s and women’s Triathlon and the swimming marathon in the historic river basin.
That is still up in the air!
Water contamination levels have been dangerously high for most of the spring and summer, which has been abnormally rainy in Paris. There have been a few days where the Seine was swimmable in recent weeks but they were rare. And it is still a major issue right now.
The Triathlon events are supposed to take place on Tuesday and Wednesday. Practice was supposed to take place on Sunday, but it was cancelled on short notice because of the bacteria and rescheduled to Monday. Practice was also cancelled on Monday due to unsafe levels of contamination.
Not only have the athletes been unable to practice, it sure doesn’t seem like they’ll be able to compete. Certainly not on time.
Olympic officials remain hopeful that they will be able to push the competition back by a few days because the forecast for the next week or so in Paris is mostly for sun. However, there is chance of thunderstorms for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. If those storms come to exist and bring with them heavy rain, the open-water swimming events are unlikely to go on. The Olympics Triathlon will become a Biathlon.
There is a greater chance for the mixed relay to happen on August 5, but even that looks pretty grim. All we can do — all organizers can do — is wait and see what the weather brings or doesn’t bring!