On Jul. 31, 2022 (local time), athletes dive into the Seine River in the women's individual triathlon at the 2024 Paris Olympics. /Courtesy of AFP Yonhap News

Since last year, the Seine River, where swimming competitions were held during the Olympics in Paris, has been opened for public swimming starting this summer. The city of Paris plans to officially restore the Seine's presence in daily life by operating swimming pools for ordinary citizens this summer.

The city of Paris announced on the 14th (local time) through a press release that it will open swimming pools in three sections of the Seine from July 5 to August 31. The areas where swimming is permitted include ▲ the central Paris area (4th arrondissement) opposite the Île Saint-Louis, ▲ the eastern banks of the Bercy (12th arrondissement), and ▲ near the western Grenelle (15th arrondissement) harbor.

The capacity varies by area. The section near the Île Saint-Louis can accommodate up to 150 people. In Bercy, which includes two swimming areas and a sunbathing space, up to 700 people (300 in the swimming area) can use the facilities at the same time. The Grenelle swimming pool offers a shallow swimming area (depth of 40 to 60 cm) for children and family visitors, with a maximum capacity of 150 people at once.

The city of Paris plans to determine the operation of the swimming pool by checking the water quality of the swimming areas daily with national agencies and local health authorities. Additionally, on days when swimming is allowed, lifeguards will be on duty as a precaution. Swimming in the Seine is prohibited outside of these three designated areas.

The city of Paris noted that "this summer, Paris residents and tourists will once again enjoy swimming in the Seine after 100 years," adding that "this is a historic event that contributes to the recovery of the river for recreation and biodiversity enhancement through water quality improvement." They further stated, "This achievement is a key legacy of the 2024 Olympics and Paralympics."

Swimming in the Seine has been officially banned since 1923 due to water pollution caused by industrialization. Even in the early 1960s, people occasionally jumped into the Seine, but access was completely cut off thereafter. The long-stalled water purification policies gained momentum in light of the 2024 Paris Olympics, pushing forward major projects such as the modernization of sewage treatment facilities.

Driven by the desire to hold Olympic swimming competitions in the Seine, the Paris Olympic organizing committee held three triathlons (men's and women's individual events, mixed relay) and open water swimming (marathon swimming) events for men and women, as well as the Paralympic triathlon events last year. However, due to ongoing poor water quality in the Seine, several practice competitions were canceled. Some athletes who swam in the Seine reported health issues such as upset stomach or diarrhea.