The Olympics 2024 Seine River Water Quality Saga Points to a Worldwide Issue

The Olympic Games is not only a celebration of the greatest athletes, but it is also a moment when the world is on display. During both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games every two years, we are exposed to people from other cultures and we applaud our diversity even while we are unified in the achievements of these athletes. Still, not everything that is exposed during these games is worth celebrating.

There has been much talk during the Paris 2024 Olympics about water, specifically the famed Seine River. Like many historic cities, Paris has a combined sewer system, which means its wastewater and its stormwater use the same pipes. For this reason, it is known to be highly polluted with harmful bacteria, viruses and parasites including E. Coli, and swimming in the Seine has largely been banned since 1923.

Continue reading to learn more, written by Christopher Beth.