Swimming in the Seine

Say goodbye to a restrictive 100-year-old law, thanks to a world-class cleanup effort. 

Since 1923, it’s been illegal to swim in the Seine because of toxic pollution.

But in preparation for the 2024 Olympics, there has been a successful effort to revitalize the famous French river. The water is now so clean that several of the Olympic swimming events will be held there.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo says that the Seine will be up to Olympics standards well in time. The project has been facilitated, in part, by an efficient water treatment plant just east of Paris, and a large storage basin to curtail the spillage of bacteria-filled wastewater.

By Alex Darlington

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