In late May, rain fell on Paris for a week. That wreaked havoc with play at the French Open and rendered the Seine unswimmable because the rain overwhelmed the tank and tunnel system, and street runoff and fecal matter flowed into the river once more.
Officials knew this could happen. They know it might happen during the Olympic Games, though late July and early August, when the Games will take place, are generally warm and dry in the French capital. They hope weather patterns hold.
World Aquatics, the world governing body for swimming, recommends that organizers of open water events consider alternative locations to manage a drop in water quality on race day. Paris officials considered their options, but ultimately decided to hope it doesn’t rain, and that the warm sun of a typical Paris summer can kill enough of the dangerous bacteria.
There is no Plan B, other than postponing races for a few days to let the yucky water flow downstream. They say they could also turn the triathlon into a duathlon, comprised only of cycling and running, but there’s no pristine lake on the city’s outskirts on standby for the 6.2-mile swim race.
