50,000 cubic meters of wastewater pours into main Paris river
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Two months before the Summer Olympics, the city's wastewater pumping system experienced a malfunction.
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Seine River in Paris, France, polluted by a discharge of 50,000 cubic meters of wastewater into the river on June 2, 2024. (Social Media)
French local officials have reported that approximately 50,000 cubic meters of sewage water have been dumped into the Seine River over the past several weeks due to issues with the pumping system in a northwestern suburb of Paris.
The incident occurred just two months before the start of the Summer Olympics. French authorities are now rushing to clean up the river to ensure athletes can safely swim during the triathlon events.
On Wednesday, Mayor Laurent Brosse told La Gazette du Val d'Oise, “There has been a major malfunction at the network that delivers the wastewater from Conflans-Sainte-Honorine to the treatment plant." He added that three pumps stopped working due to electrical failure and that temporary pumps were installed.
Read next: Paris Olympics test events canceled again due to Seine pollution
An estimated 50,000 cubic meters of wastewater has been released into the river since the incident, according to the administration of the Grand Paris Seine et Oise area, which includes Conflans-Sainte-Honorine. Officials said the discharge of contaminated water from the broken pumping system stopped.
Heavy seasonal rainfall may have damaged equipment
The commune of Conflans-Sainte-Honorine, situated approximately 24 km (15 miles) from central Paris, is where the incident unfolded. Officials suspect that heavy seasonal rainfall may have damaged the equipment, leading to the sewage discharge into the river. Locals have taken to social media to express their concerns about the foul odor emanating from the river and have reported sightings of sanitary tissues and wipes floating in the water.
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— Élément (@Exactweet) May 30, 2024
Des eaux usées déversées dans la Seine après un dysfonctionnement des pompes dans les Yvelineshttps://t.co/6SSi7LZJen pic.twitter.com/UxP6sxYuLp
With the triathlon events scheduled to commence on June 30, Paris authorities have allocated €1.4 billion ($1.5 billion) toward renovating the city's water infrastructure. This includes the installation of new water storage reservoirs and pumps.
Despite these efforts, recent tests conducted by water charity Surfrider reveal that levels of E. coli and enterococci bacteria in the Seine exceed the limits set by sports federations and European bathing standards, as reported by France 24 on Wednesday.
To quell concerns, French President Emmanuel Macron and Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo promised to swim in the river ahead of the Olympics.
