Latest news with #PierreRabadan
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Seine closes to swimmers a day after its historic reopening
Parts of the Seine River closed down to swimmers on Sunday due to heavy rainfall, just one day after it reopened to the public for the first time in a century. Swimming in Paris' Seine River has been closed off to members of the public since 1923, but on Saturday morning the river lifted the swimming ban. However, those who missed the inaugural day and planned to head down to the Seine on Sunday would have found its swimming areas shut once again. The Seine stopped swimming over a century ago due to concerns over the levels of water pollution that could make people ill. The day after excited swimmers took to the waters in its three designated areas for public bathing, the celebrations were dampened when red flags flew over the zones. The wet weather raised concerns over water quality in the river, Paris City Hall said. City officials said the Seine would be assessed daily for the presence of the faecal bacteria Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Enterococci. Flags will inform bathers every day about the pollution levels, and if it rains, the sites will likely close, Paris city official Pierre Rabadan explained, according to Le Monde. Another site along the Canal St-Martin in eastern Paris was also due to welcome its first swimmers on Sunday but remained closed over the rain, which "compromises water quality', the local town hall said. Eve Plenel, the head of public health at Paris City Hall, told The Telegraph: 'The water goes through a circuit… and if it is not swimmable, we will not open it for the day or until it gets better. 'So it's impossible to open the swim station without being sure the water is absolutely clear and OK and no risk for public health.' As for how often the swimming zones would be closed, Ms Plenel said: 'It obviously depends on the weather.' 'If it rains a lot or there is any localised pollution anywhere on the Seine, then it can affect quality, of course that can happen. 'It's just like any beach in the summer. Sometimes beaches are polluted or closed and this is exactly the same.' Swimmers have been allowed to return to the Seine following a €1.4bn (£1.2bn) cleanup project tied to the Paris Olympics that hosted open water swimmer triathletes in its waters. After improving the water quality for the Games, authorities made a historic decision to reopen the Seine to bathers and constructed two new wooden decks. The idea has been floated since 1988, when then-mayor and future president Jacques Chirac promised to clear up the river within six years. While it took longer than expected, Paris will now join a number of European cities with safe-to-swim waters – so long as the rain holds off.
Int'l Business Times
07-07-2025
- Climate
- Int'l Business Times
Paris Lifts Century-Long Swimming Ban — Then Reinstates Ban 1 Day Later Due to Pollution
The capital of France lifted its century-long swimming ban over the weekend, allowing Parisians to take a dip in the Seine river, only for the ban to be reinstated a day later over pollution concerns. After dozens of people swam in Paris' Seine river on Saturday, the city was forced to close several designated swimming spots after rain sparked health concerns, Le Monde reported. Three sites were closed Sunday as a result while city officials reevaluated the water for pathogens, such as E. coli and enterococci, that may have been washed into the river by rainwater runoff. Swimming had been banned in the river since 1923 due to health concerns. However, the river has undergone extensive cleanup efforts in recent years, particularly in preparation for the 2024 Olympics, where open-water swimmers and triathletes were able to complete their events in the river. But although those Olympians were able to compete in the Seine, six events that had been planned to be held in the river were cancelled after rainfall once again raised concerns. Paris city official Pierre Rabadan said that the swimming spots will likely close after every rainfall to allow for health officials to reassess the areas, as reported by France 24 . Originally published on Latin Times
CTV News
07-07-2025
- Sport
- CTV News
Paris shuts Seine swim spots day after reopening
A woman dives in the water as people swim at the Pont Marie safe bathing site on the Seine river in Paris, France, Saturday, July 5, 2025, during the opening of the three Seine swimming pools, as part of the 'Paris Plages' event. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla) Rainfall on Sunday temporarily shut down three Seine swimming sites in Paris according to the city hall website, just one day after the river reopened to bathers for the first time in a century. Red flags flew over the three designated swimming zones in the French capital on Sunday, warning would-be bathers that the Seine was off-limits due to water quality concerns caused by the wet weather. The closures came just a day after the river's triumphant reopening, which capped a years-long effort to clean up the Seine, with bathers of all ages diving in for the first time since the practice was banned in 1923. But on rainy days, the mid-19th-century Parisian sewage system often overflows, causing rain and waste waters to pour into the river. To mitigate the risk, city officials said that the Seine would be assessed daily for the the presence of the faecal bacteria escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci. Flags inform bathers about pollution levels in the water every day, and if it rains, the sites will likely close the day after, said Paris city official Pierre Rabadan. Another site along the Canal St-Martin in eastern Paris was set to welcome its first swimmers on Sunday but remained closed over the rain, which 'compromises water quality', according to the local town hall on X. The seasonal opening of the Seine for swimming is seen as a key legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympics, when open-water swimmers and triathletes competed in its waters, which were specially cleaned for the event. Ahead of the Olympic Games, authorities invested approximately 1.4 billion euros (US$1.6 billion) in improving the Seine's water quality. Record rainfall during the Games led to the cancellation of six of the 11 competitions held on the river. The promise to lift the swimming ban dates back to 1988, when then-mayor of Paris and future president Jacques Chirac first advocated for its reversal, around 65 years after the practice was banned.
Local France
06-07-2025
- Sport
- Local France
Raincheck: Paris shuts Seine swim spots day after reopening
Red flags flew over the three designated swimming zones in the French capital on Sunday, warning would-be bathers that the Seine was off-limits due to water quality concerns caused by the wet weather. The closures came just a day after the river's triumphant reopening , which capped a years-long effort to clean up the Seine, with bathers of all ages diving in for the first time since the practice was banned in 1923. But on rainy days, the mid-19th-century Parisian sewage system often overflows, causing rain and waste waters to pour into the river. To mitigate the risk, city officials said that the Seine would be assessed daily for the the presence of the faecal bacteria escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci. Flags inform bathers about pollution levels in the water every day, and if it rains, the sites will likely close the day after, said Paris city official Pierre Rabadan. Another site along the Canal St-Martin in eastern Paris was set to welcome its first swimmers on Sunday but remained closed over the rain, which "compromises water quality", according to the local town hall on X. The seasonal opening of the Seine for swimming is seen as a key legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympics, when open-water swimmers and triathletes competed in its waters, which were specially cleaned for the event. Advertisement Ahead of the Olympic Games, authorities invested approximately 1.4 billion euros ($1.6 billion) in improving the Seine's water quality. Record rainfall during the Games led to the cancellation of six of the 11 competitions held on the river. The promise to lift the swimming ban dates back to 1988, when then-mayor of Paris and future president Jacques Chirac first advocated for its reversal, around 65 years after the practice was banned.
LeMonde
06-07-2025
- Sport
- LeMonde
Paris shuts Seine swim spots day after reopening due to rain
Rainfall on Sunday, July 6, temporarily shut down three Seine swimming sites in Paris according to the city hall website, just one day after the river reopened to bathers for the first time in a century. Red flags flew over the three designated swimming zones in the French capital on Sunday, warning would-be bathers that the Seine was off-limits due to water quality concerns caused by the wet weather. The closures came just a day after the river's triumphant reopening, which capped a years-long effort to clean up the Seine, with bathers of all ages diving in for the first time since the practice was banned in 1923. But on rainy days, the mid-19 th -century Parisian sewage system often overflows, causing rain and waste waters to pour into the river. To mitigate the risk, city officials said that the Seine would be assessed daily for the presence of the faecal bacteria escherichia coli (E. coli) and enterococci. Flags inform bathers about pollution levels in the water every day, and if it rains, the sites will likely close the day after, said Paris city official Pierre Rabadan. Another site along the Canal St-Martin in eastern Paris was set to welcome its first swimmers on Sunday but remained closed over the rain, which "compromises water quality," according to the local town hall on X. The seasonal opening of the Seine for swimming is seen as a key legacy of the Paris 2024 Olympics, when open-water swimmers and triathletes competed in its waters, which were specially cleaned for the event. Ahead of the Olympic Games, authorities invested approximately €1.4 billion ($1.6 billion) in improving the Seine's water quality. Record rainfall during the Games led to the cancellation of six of the 11 competitions held on the river. The promise to lift the swimming ban dates back to 1988, when then-mayor of Paris and future president Jacques Chirac first advocated for its reversal, around 65 years after the practice was banned.
