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PARIS, France — Concerns over water quality in the Seine River led to the postponement of the men’s triathlon at the Paris Olympics on Tuesday. Organizers are hopeful the swimming portion of the race can proceed in the coming days after extensive cleanup efforts.

The men’s triathlon is now tentatively rescheduled for Wednesday. The women’s competition is also set for that day, but both events will only take place if water tests show acceptable levels of E. coli and other bacteria. Friday is listed as a backup date.

Storms and rain forecasted from Tuesday night through Thursday could disrupt rescheduling, as rainfall typically raises bacteria levels in the Seine.

A heavy downpour marked the Olympic opening ceremony on Friday, with rain continuing into Saturday. Concerns over water quality led to the cancellation of training swims for triathletes on Sunday and Monday.

Recent optimism among Olympic organizers and city officials about improving bacteria levels was dashed. Despite Tuesday’s high of 35 degrees Celsius (95 Fahrenheit), bacteria levels remained a concern for athlete safety.

A staggering 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) was allocated to improve Seine’s water quality, aimed at hosting the triathlon and marathon swimming events. However, bacteria levels have fluctuated.

Tuesday’s decision followed a meeting involving World Triathlon officials, medical teams, the International Olympic Committee, and city representatives.

“Despite improvement in water quality, some areas still exceed acceptable limits,” organizers noted, emphasizing athlete health as the top priority.

Paris Deputy Mayor Pierre Rabadan acknowledged that while the trend in water quality is improving, it remains above the necessary threshold. He remains optimistic about holding the competitions on Wednesday but didn’t rule out further delays based on new test results.

Daily water quality tests measure fecal bacteria levels, specifically E. coli, with a safe limit of 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters, per European standards. Monitoring group Eau de Paris updates the data weekly, reflecting readings from the previous Tuesday.

Aurelie Merle, Paris 2024 sports director, indicated that one of four test sites showed acceptable E. coli levels. The other sites reported varying levels, surpassing the limit.

High E. coli levels typically indicate sewage contamination. While most strains are harmless, some can cause health issues, including diarrhea and infections.

The 1.4 billion euro cleanup included constructing a giant basin to prevent wastewater from entering the Seine, upgrading sewer infrastructure, and enhancing wastewater treatment plants.

Two weeks ago, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, along with Paris 2024 chief Tony Estanguet and other officials, swam in the river to demonstrate confidence in the cleanup. Data from that day showed E. coli levels slightly above the threshold.

The men’s triathlon is now set to begin at 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, with potential challenges from heat as the event may end at the hottest part of the day. The women’s race remains scheduled for 8 a.m.

Other swimming events in the Seine include the triathlon mixed relay on Aug. 5 and the marathon swimming events on Aug. 8 and 9.

AP writers Barbara Surk in Nice and Devna Bose in Jackson, Mississippi, contributed.