(RFI).- There remains uncertainty as to whether there will be swimming tests in that Signfor this river crossing the capital represents the levels bacteria in water that continue to exceed recommended standards, according to a study requested NGO Surfrider Foundation.

An independent laboratory analyzed the waters of the Seine at the request of the ocean protection NGO and found concentrations Escherichia coli bacteria And enterococciindicates fecal contaminationabove recommended thresholds

The NGO notes that the presence of such levels of bacteria puts athletes at risk of infection stomach fluFor example.

In response, French authorities said that the treatment plant had not yet started operating. In addition, construction of a huge reservoir equivalent to 25 Olympic swimming pools is being completed to prevent the drainage network from becoming oversaturated in the event of heavy rainfall. This too will end soon “Sanitary plan” (Beynad Plan), the cost of which ranges from 1200 And 1.4 billion eurosincluding 700 million financed by the government, which will allow us to exceed the original target eliminate 75% of contaminants bacteriologically detected.

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Claire GrisezDeputy Director for the Environment of the Paris Prefecture, explained RFI that “in Paris, sewage and rainwater mix. We are building a reservoir to store rainwater so that used water does not end up in the Seine. This way we will prevent water quality from deteriorating. We are doing everything we can to make sure this is the case, but we cannot rule out the possibility of a storm that will force us to postpone some sporting events for a few days,” he says.

Improving the quality of the Seine River, which still receives water from faecal waste from many homes, is not an easy task. The president Emmanuel Macron promised it I would take a swim in the Seinebut this promise has already been made by other politicians such as Jacques Chiracand they didn’t comply.

Of 14 measurements taken between the end of September 2023 and the end of March 2024 at the heights of the Alexander III and Alma bridges, thirteen were found to be “above or much above” the recommended thresholds for swimming.

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The 2006 European Directive and Swimming and Triathlon Federations set maximum concentration limits for two bacteria indicative of faecal contamination suitable for test development.

The threshold values ​​for these bacteria should not exceed 1000 colony forming units (CFU) per 100 ml for Escherichia coli and 400 CFU/100 ml for enterococci.

Analyzes carried out by Surfrider in collaboration with the Eau de Paris laboratory and Analy-Co show a concentration of E. coli of more than 1000 CFU/100 ml and enterococci of 500 CFU/100 ml.