The French government has a plan to limit wastewater and sewage entering the Seine and Marne rivers and is now accelerating it due to the push to make the Seine swimmable for the Olympics.
Olympic water quality tests on the Seine resulted in 14 fails last August, raising doubts over whether triathletes and marathon swimmers would be allowed to race for the gold in the river.
The tests found the presence of two bacteria found in sewage in the Seine's waters. The poor quality of the water was attributed to faulty valves in the city's sewage systems, exacerbated by unusually violent downpours.
However, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has announced that five big anti-pollution plants along the Seine and Marne are set to come on stream in the weeks leading up to the Games, reports iol.co.za.
The city has developed three urban beaches alongside the river banks to allow Parisians and tourists to swim in the Seine after the Olympics. The urban beaches, known as Paris Plages, are nestled below the city’s historic town hall and stretch to the foot of the Eiffel Tower. Another 30 urban beaches are planned for the eastern suburbs along the Marne. The beaches are equipped with pontoons, showers and umbrellas.
