Can Paris make the Seine clean enough to swim in for the Olympics?

Paris has spent about 1.4 billion euros on clean-up efforts in the Seine, but latest test samples still showed “alarming” levels of bacteria in the river.

Paris’ goal to clean the River Seine in time for the 2024 Olympics has been met with numerous challenges, raising the question of whether the famous waterway will ever pass safety inspections.

The city has spent about 1.4 billion euros in the last decade on a clean-up project to revive the river’s ecosystem and ensure it is safe for use in the 2024 Summer Olympic Games and other swimming events.

But the latest test samples still showed “alarming” bacteria levels in the river, according to a French water charity.

Surfrider Foundation Europe said in its report released last week that all but one of 14 samples taken at the Alexandre III Bridge over six months showed poor water quality.

“It is therefore clear that the athletes who will be taking part in the Olympic and Paralympic events planned for the Seine will be swimming in polluted water and taking significant risks to their health,” the report said.

The findings prompted Paris 2024 Olympics president Tony Estanguet to say that rising E.coli levels from heavy rain remains one of his “biggest challenges” ahead of the games.

Paris plans to open the river to public swimmers by 2025, which hasn’t been allowed for a century because of high pollution levels. Meeting the ambitious goal has meant making some major changes to Paris’ sewage system, primarily by connecting river docks and boats with the system at a cost of $12 million euros. It also includes the construction of a massive rainwater overflow tank called the Austerlitz Basin.

“With just a few weeks to go to the trials, we are becoming increasingly concerned about meeting the deadlines for commissioning the works and bringing them into compliance,” the charity’s report says.