The Paris Olympics are just around the corner, like in less than two weeks, and there's this buzz about whether the Seine River will be all clear for athletes to take a dive.
Cleaning Up the Seine
So, they're planning to have these triathlon and marathon swimming gigs in the Seine, which is pretty wild because it's been a no-go for swimming for over a hundred years! The city dropped a cool 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) to build some snazzy new water catching stuff to keep the river from getting all dirty with wastewater when it rains like cats and dogs. The big idea is to keep the river clean not just for the Games, but for everyone to enjoy afterward too.
The Rainy Road to Clean Water
But here's the catch: Paris gets a lot of rain, and when it does, the river gets a bit iffy with the water quality. It's got this combined sewer system where all the yucky stuff from the city and the rainwater end up in the same pipe. When it rains too much, the pipes can't handle it all and some of that dirty water ends up in the river.
Water Tests and Rainy Days
There's this group called Eau de Paris that's been playing water detective every day, checking if the river's safe to swim in. They've had some not-so-great results lately, but early July showed some promise. If the rain decides to crash the party during the Games, they might have to scrap the swimming part of the triathlon and move the marathon swim to a place called Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium outside the city.
Athletes' Take on the Water Worries
Athletes like French triathlon star, Léonie Périault, who snagged a bronze in Tokyo, are feeling the heat. Everyone keeps asking if she's cool with swimming in the Seine. But she's been practicing there for a while and says it's no biggie. She took part in a test event last year and thought the experience was pretty epic with the Eiffel Tower in the background.
The Big Wigs' Dip
The French Sports Minister, Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, even took a dunk in the river to show it's all good, and the Mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, said she'd take a swim this week too.
But let's get real, the river's still a bit of a gamble. This tech company called Fluidion has been keeping an eye on the water and says it's definitely gotten better, but with all this rain, it's tough to call the shots.
So, will the Seine be Olympic-ready for swimmers? The experts are playing it by ear, and we're all just waiting to see what Mother Nature has in store. Keep your fingers crossed for some sunny days to kill off those pesky E. coli bacteria!