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2d ago

Reopened Seine Swim Sites in Paris Closed After Heavy Rain Triggers Sewage Overflow

Lifeguard-supervised spots remain shut pending daily E.coli tests that will determine when public access can resume this summer.

There are three designated swimming sites now open to the public: one near the Eiffel Tower, one close to Notre Dame Cathedral, and one in eastern Paris.
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Overview

  • City of Paris invested €1.4–1.6 billion in sewer upgrades, rainwater reservoirs and treatment plants to prepare the Seine for public swimming.
  • Swim sites at the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame opened Saturday under lifeguard supervision but had to shut the next day when downpours caused the city’s 19th-century sewage system to overflow.
  • Eastern Paris swim spots scheduled to open Sunday remained closed as water-quality tests detected elevated bacterial levels.
  • Authorities conduct daily tests for E.coli and other bacteria and use a color-flag alert system to decide on closures or reopenings.
  • The free, supervised swim program runs through the end of August and officials may expand the initiative to include sites on the Marne River if conditions improve.