Berlin-Mitte’s district councillor has announced that a river swimming spot will open in the city centre by 2026. However, existing details only provide a rough outline of the plan.
The district councillor for urban development in Berlin-Mitte, Ephraim Gothe (SPD), has announced that the authorities will open a swimming area in the River Spree by next year.
“There are still lots of things which need to be clarified, but I am optimistic that it can work,” Gothe told Tagesspiegel. The location, however, has already been clarified, a stretch starting shortly before the Schleusenbrücke and finishing at Monbijoubrücke.
The Spree was closed off to swimmers in 1925, and it is currently forbidden to swim in the river.
When heavy rain causes Berlin’s sewage system to overflow, wastewater overflows into the Spree. Alongside this, boats passing and rubbish thrown into the river mean it is unsafe for swimming.
So what would change in the next year to make the river fit for a dip? The stretch earmarked to host the swimming spot is separated from the rest of the river by a lock, meaning no boats pass through, so it is already safe for bathers in that regard.
When it comes to water quality, Berlin is looking at the example set by Paris, where local authorities improved water quality in the Seine and will reopen it to swimmers this summer.
Scientists have regularly tested the water in the Spree for several years, and according to Gothe, it has considerably improved. An official report due to be published by the city’s senate this year will offer more concrete information.
In the meantime, the River Bathing Association Berlin (Flussbad Berlin Verein) is set to hold a demonstration and swimming demonstration through the Spree on May 20, demonstrating for water quality to be improved. The demo will go ahead as long as the water quality, which you can check here, is good enough.
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