By Adam Woodward
For the first time in more than a century, Parisians could make a splash in the River Seine on Saturday, July 5, as the once-thickly-polluted waterway was officially cleaned up and reopened for public bathing.
The historic moment followed a €1.6 billion cleaning effort that has transformed the Seine into a safe summertime place to take a dip again and water quality consistently meeting European regulations.
Three new swimming spots along the Paris riverbank welcomed the public during one of the biggest heatwaves in recent memory: one near Notre-Dame Cathedral, another close to the Eiffel Tower, and a third in eastern Paris. Swimming in the Seine had previously been banned in 1923 due to pollution and the dangers of river navigation. Bathing outside designated areas is still prohibited for safety reasons, but the reopening shows a triumphant return for the river. It had raised the cynical eyebrows of the world during the Paris Olympics in 2024 when it was used as the backdrop for the opening ceremony, triathlon, and marathon swimming events, but the public has now had the chance to try it out for themselves.
Cleanup of River Seine, Parisians take the plunge
A monumental cleanup project was completed ahead of the Olympics, which saw the introduction of new disinfection units and a massive storage basin designed to prevent bacteria from wastewater spilling into the river during heavy rains. Houseboats, which previously pumped sewage directly into the Seine, were connected to municipal sewer systems, and homes upstream saw their wastewater rerouted to treatment plants rather than flowing untreated into the river.
Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan announced that water quality was tested daily to guarantee sufficient safety. “Green flags signalled that the water quality was good, while red flags indicated unsafe conditions or strong currents,” he explained. Since early June, tests have consistently met European standards, with only two brief closures due to rain and boat-related pollution. “The water quality this summer appeared better than last year,” Rabadan said, though he cautioned that weather conditions could still impact the river’s natural environment.
The Seine’s transformation was a resounding success with hundreds of locals making a splash in the heart of Paris.