The River Seine’s pollution levels were well below harmful limits when athletes dove in for the Olympic triathlon on Wednesday morning, the 2024 Paris Olympic organizing committee confirmed Thursday.
The organizing committee has been conducting daily tests to monitor the impact of weather events on concentration levels of hazardous bacteria known as E. coli in the Seine, ahead of major swimming events set to take place in the river throughout the tournament.
European safety standards state that waters with E. coli concentration levels above 1,000 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters of water are considered unsafe for swimming.
World Triathlon, the governing body for international competitions in the sport, uses a different threshold set at 900. Overexposure to E. coli can lead to illnesses like intestinal infections and conjunctivitis but also more serious health conditions like hepatitis A.
