A "Forbidden to swim" sign at the Houtdok public park at the old dock in Ghent, Belgium.
Photographer: Ksenia Kuleshova/BloombergGreener Living
E. Coli, Diarrhea and Dead Fish: Europe’s Rivers Have a Sewage Problem
It’s not just the Seine and the Thames. Across the continent, untreated waste that flows directly into rivers and lakes is making people sick and harming wildlife.
An Nÿs and her children love swimming in their local canal on the outskirts of Ghent, Belgium, so much that they’re willing to put up with an unfortunate downside: the possibility of a stomach ache if they accidentally swallow some water.
“They know they have to really keep their mouths shut,” Nÿs says. “It would of course be nice if you can come here with your kids and enjoy a swim without your kids having diarrhea.”