Paris Olympics 2024: Water Quality Issues of Seine Force Cancellation of 2nd Day of Triathlon Training

Organizers of the Paris 2024 Olympics canceled a second day of triathlon training in the River Seine due to pollution caused by recent heavy rainfalls. Despite this setback, they remain optimistic about holding the scheduled events later this week.

Paris 2024 and World Triathlon jointly decided to cancel Monday's swimming training session, citing insufficient water quality. They stated, "Water quality levels... do not present sufficient guarantees" for safe training. This follows the cancellation of Sunday's session for similar reasons.

The triathlon is set to be the first Olympic event held in the Seine, with marathon swimming scheduled for the second week of the Games. The men's individual triathlon is slated to start on Tuesday at 8:00 am (0600 GMT), followed by the women's event on Wednesday.

The Seine's water quality is heavily influenced by rainfall in Paris. Recent downpours, including those during Friday's opening ceremony, have overwhelmed the city's sewage system, causing untreated sewage to flow into the river.

However, with the return of sunny weather since Sunday morning, organizers are hopeful for a turnaround. "We are confident that water quality will improve sufficiently before the start of the competition on Tuesday," they said, referencing the favorable weather forecast for the next 48 hours.

This summer has been particularly challenging for maintaining water quality in the Seine. Heavy rains in the spring and early summer led to consistent failures in water tests until July. At times, levels of E.Coli bacteria, an indicator of fecal contamination, were up to ten times higher than permitted limits.

Paris 2024 organizers have contingency plans to delay outdoor swimming events if rain continues to affect water quality. As a last resort, they may cancel the swimming leg of the triathlon and relocate the marathon swimming events to Vaires-sur-Marne, on the Marne river east of Paris.

Over the past decade, French authorities have invested 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) to clean up the Seine. To showcase the river's readiness for the Olympics, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo and Paris 2024 chief organizer Tony Estanguet swam in the Seine on July 17.