As the world continues to warm pressure is mounting on civil authorities in many major European and American cities to ensure clean rivers provide a means of cooling for citizens keen to take a dip.

In Paris for instance, and just as the Olympics commence, efforts to clean up the River Seine are almost complete.

When Paris was selected to host the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games, organizers conceived an ambitious plan to host several events in the notoriously dirty river that runs through the heart of the city.

This plan necessitated a massive cleanup effort. Now, just as the games commence, there is still some uncertainty about whether this expensive project will succeed.

The initiative serves various purposes. It aims to revive a cultural heritage that the French want to highlight during their hosting of the Olympics. Additionally, it functions as a strategy to adapt to climate change.

With rising temperatures, many residents are expected to turn to the river as an affordable and swift way to cool off in the heat. If the cleaning endeavour proves successful, the Seine will welcome public swimmers in 2025 for the first time in over a century, offering much-needed relief for Parisians and enhancing their quality of life.

Swimming in the Seine has been prohibited since 1923 due to pollution and boat traffic. However, in the 17th century, it was a popular pastime in Paris, with individuals bathing in the river in the nude, albeit separated by canvas partitions.  Hose was a thing then, but the notorious Australian budgie smuggler was still a long way off.

The 18th century saw the emergence of bathhouses, pools, and the requirement of swimwear. Diving competitions were even held in the river shortly before swimming was banned.

During the past year, numerous trial events had to be called off due to elevated pollution levels—specifically, the presence of E.coli, a potentially fatal bacterium originating from human waste.

The narrative of the Seine mirrors the plight of many urban rivers globally. As nations underwent industrialisation and city populations surged, urban water bodies became convenient dumping grounds for both residential, industrial and factory farming waste, rendering many unsuitable for swimming or leisure activities.

With ongoing initiatives around the globe to reclaim urban waterways for city residents, the efforts to clean up the Seine could offer encouragement to other urban centres seeking to rejuvenate their rivers—or serve as a cautionary tale about the challenges of revitalising a river in the modern, warming era.