In an effort to guarantee clean water for the River Seine, which will be the venue for marathon swimming at the Paris Games and the swimming leg of the Olympic and Paralympic triathlons, French officials have inaugurated a massive water storage basin near the Austerlitz train station. The basin, capable of holding the equivalent of 20 Olympic swimming pools of dirty water, aims to collect excess rainwater and prevent bacteria-laden wastewater from entering the Seine.

Last year, swimming test events had to be canceled due to poor water quality, primarily caused by heavy rains overwhelming the city's old sewers and resulting in a mix of rainwater and untreated sewage flowing into the river. To address this issue, the newly opened storage basin will now allow the collected water to be treated instead of being released raw through storm drains into the Seine.

Sports minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra commended Paris for its ability to provide athletes from around the world with an exceptional setting on the Seine for their events. The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, also expressed her commitment to swimming in the Seine before the Olympics, potentially alongside President Emmanuel Macron.

The giant reservoir not only serves as a means of treating excess water but also guarantees storage during severe storms, helping water levels to return to normal as quickly as possible. Its opening marks a significant step toward cleaner waters for the river and is part of a series of newly-built facilities to support this goal, including a water treatment plant in Champigny-sur-Marne, inaugurated last month.

To ensure the safety of the athletes and the overall success of the events, water quality tests will be conducted daily at 3 a.m. during the Olympic Games. In case the results do not meet the required standards, event organizers have stated that there may be delays of a few days until the water's quality is deemed suitable.

The completion of the water storage basin showcases Paris' commitment to providing participants and spectators of the Games with a pristine environment on the Seine, setting the stage for a memorable and successful Olympic experience.