Could we see a plan B…C or even D emerge in the coming weeks? According to Pierre Rabadan, deputy in charge of sports and the Olympic and Paralympic Games at Paris City Hall, this is a big no. “Our only possible plan B is to have the possibility of postponing the events for one or more days in the event of extraordinary weather phenomena.”
Because the bacteriological quality of the Seine raises questions, particularly this Monday with the release of the study by the NGO Surfrider. Almost 100 days before the opening of the Paris Games, she points out the “alarming” state of the waters of the river which crosses the capital, where the triathlon events are to be held (July 30 and 31, August 5), swimming in open water, now called marathon swimming (August 8 and 9), as well as the paratriathlon events (September 1 and 2).
“Very clumsy communication” for Pierre Rabadan, who points to 20 minutes “the continuous improvement in the water quality of the Seine for eight years”, “a period of analysis which is not the one we are working on” and massive investments not yet all put in place.
From June, eight water quality analysis points
“We have no concerns because we see that the trajectory of improvement in water quality, summer and winter, is going in the right direction. And even the results reported by Surfrider are in the right direction. Because the quality is certainly below the thresholds to authorize swimming during this period but it is much better than a year ago at the same period,” assures Pierre Rabadan to 20 minutes.
Paris City Hall also ensures that it is not currently taking any samples, as the period is not that concerned by the Swimming plan. Amounting from 1.2 to 1.4 billion euros, including 700 million financed by the State, it is finishing its deployment, the prefecture of the Île-de-France region specified this Monday in a press release. It will make it possible to “exceed the initial objective” and achieve a 75% improvement in the water quality of the Seine. “From June, we will have eight water quality analysis points to allow us to authorize swimming for competitions, then in 2025 for the general public. As we have been doing in the Villette basin for several years,” specifies the Paris City Hall, which adds that “from July, 35 measurement points upstream of Paris will be measured.”
An inappropriate period
The analyzes on which Surfrider relies indicate concentrations of E. Coli regularly higher than 2,000 cfu/100 ml (maximum of 7,250 under the Alma bridge on February 7, 2024) and 500 cfu/100 ml for enterococci. (maximum of 1,190 on February 7). Even if the period analyzed is not part of that envisaged for swimming in the Seine, the rates are much higher than those imposed by the European “swimming” directive of 2006 and the scales of the swimming and triathlon federations. They indicate that the concentrations of two bacteria indicative of fecal contamination, Escherichia coli and enterococci, must not exceed 1,000 colony forming units (cfu)/100 ml for E. Coli and 400 cfu/100 ml for enterococci.
According to Paris City Hall and the regional prefecture, there is no need to be alarmed. “The disinfection units of the water treatment plants (enterococci and E. Coli) were operational in the summer of 2023 for swimming tests. While there was no swimming between September and March, they were not in operation during the samples taken by Surfrider, which deprives them of their range,” specifies the latter. “We will inaugurate the Austerlitz basin on May 2 with commissioning during the month,” adds Pierre Rabadan. For Paris, it will be a tool for regulating and delaying the discharge of dirty water into the Seine, which is today the main factor in deteriorating the quality of the river’s water. This basin is an essential tool with its storage capacity of 50,000 m3. »
“The water quality will be there”
The compliance of barge connections to the sewer system is also being finalized, “around twenty boats still need to comply with the law by the beginning of July”, points out the deputy to the Paris Town Hall. And “the structural works of the Bathing plan which improve the operation of the sanitation network in rainy weather will be put into service in April and May (works basin such as the Austerlitz storm basin, the Ru Saint Baudile , the Ru de la Lande, etc.)”, completes the regional prefecture.
Finally, indicates Pierre Rabadan, “this is not linked to water quality, but, from the beginning of July, a surface waste cleaning program will be put in place in the summer of 2024 with Haropa . The deliberation on this subject is planned for the next Paris Council.”
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As for whether the NGO Surfrider will be authorized to take samples “before and during” the entire duration of the Games, the town hall is on the fence. “Our objective is to be ready in the summer of 2024 and not in September, October, December or January, to organize competitions in the Seine. Before opening three swimming areas to the general public in Paris the following summer. And the quality of the water will be there”, certifies the deputy for sports and JOPs to 20 minutes, without an ounce of doubt.