Swimming in the Seine River Allowed After 100 Years of Prohibition

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced that swimming in the Seine River, which flows through the heart of the French capital, will be available to the public starting in 2025, after a century of prohibition under a decree from the authorities. The municipality confirmed that the decision to lift the swimming ban came after water quality analyses showed "suitable" levels during dry weather. It was explained that "designated monitored swimming areas will be marked with buoys, and a floating dock will be provided for access, along with changing rooms, showers, and facilities for organizing belongings on the docks." Since 2016, the government and local authorities in Île-de-France have invested about 1.4 billion euros to make the Seine and Marne rivers swimmable by reducing sewage leakage into the river and ensuring adequate water quality in accordance with European standards. Regarding waste, especially plastic, a recent call was made to find the best technological innovation for collecting it from the river.