Paris's Olympic Challenge: Cleaning the Seine for the Games

🏊‍♂️The Seine River, a central feature of the 2024 Paris Olympics, is undergoing a massive cleanup effort to make it suitable for swimming events.

🚧A 13.2 million-gallon underground reservoir is part of a $1.5 billion project designed to prevent combined sewer overflow and reduce water contamination.

🌧️Heavy rain can still lead to contamination, and the project aims to reduce overflow into the Seine to less than twice a year.

🚽The Seine has been off-limits for swimming for a century due to high levels of bacteria, a problem exacerbated by an outdated sewer system.

🌟The cleanup is not just for the Olympics; it aims to restore the Seine as a recreational area for Parisians, with plans for public swimming sites in 2025.

Will the Seine be swimmable during the Olympics?

—The possibility of swimming in the Seine during the Olympics depends on weather conditions and the effectiveness of the cleanup efforts. There are no guarantees, but the infrastructure is in place to improve water quality.

What is the Alwoods Basin?

—The Alwoods Basin is a key part of the infrastructure project, a large underground reservoir designed to capture and manage excess water during heavy rains to prevent overflow into the Seine.

Why was swimming in the Seine banned?

—Swimming was banned due to high levels of bacteria, including E. coli, which pose health risks. The Seine's contamination is a result of its role in the city's combined sewer system.

How often does the Seine overflow currently?

—Currently, the Seine overflows into the river 10 to 15 times a year. The goal of the new infrastructure is to reduce this to less than twice a year.

What happens if the Seine isn't clean enough for the Olympics?

—If the Seine isn't clean enough, the open water swimming events may be postponed. There are no current plans to cancel them outright.

00:00Introduction to Paris's plan to clean the Seine for the 2024 Olympics.

01:24Discussion of past Olympic open water swimming events at risk due to water quality issues.

02:13Explanation of the water quality standards required for open water swimming events.

04:40Details on the Alwoods Basin, a key part of the cleanup infrastructure.

07:14Future plans for the Seine, including public swimming sites after the Olympics.

07:33Backup plans for the opening ceremony if security risks along the Seine are too high.