\u201cThis is, really, a long time coming,\u201d said Doug McConnell, organizer of the Chicago River Swim<\/a> and founder of A Long Swim<\/a>, an area nonprofit that will produce the event to fund Northwestern University research<\/a> for ALS, a fatal neurological disorder known also as Lou Gehrig\u2019s disease. \u201cIt\u2019s been a lot of pick-and-shovel, hard work, and people really dedicated to a common goal and outcome.\u201d<\/p>\n To address safety, organizers said they will deploy over 100 safety personnel \u2014 with 40 lifeguards, or one for every seven swimmers \u2014 to monitor the course on kayaks, paddleboards, jet skis, rowboats and power boats. Participants will also wear an electronic GPS chip on their ankles and autonomous buoys so that organizers can account for their position on the course, which the U.S. Coast Guard will close to vessels. Riverwalk access will also be limited to specific areas.<\/p>\n On Sept. 21, from 7 to 10 a.m., 500 Olympic, triathlon and open-water swimmers from around the world will participate in either a 1-mile or 2-mile race that will kick off at the Dearborn Street Bridge and head east to State Street, then back west to Lake Street. The finish line will be near the Clark Street Bridge.<\/p>\n \u201cOur goal is to have the swim started, completed, done, wrapped up and everything by the time the commercial day starts on the river,\u201d McConnell said. \u201cThe tour boats and the architecture boats and the kayaks and all the rest \u2014 we don\u2019t want to be in their way.\u201d<\/p>\n Applications for the swim are open to the public\u00a0at chicagoriverswim.org<\/a> until Monday at 10 p.m. There is no fee to apply, but prior experience as an open-water swimmer, Olympian or triathlete is required. Those selected to participate will be notified of their acceptance.<\/p>\n The day of the race, spectators will be able to watch and follow along from the Chicago Riverwalk between Lake and Clark streets, where vendors will offer refreshments. Tickets will also soon be available for purchase for an official VIP viewing party.<\/p>\n Like last year, the event will raise money to pay for swim lessons for kids in underserved local communities. And this time, advocates say, it will also be an opportunity to celebrate the river\u2019s bounce back from murky and polluted to inviting, swimmable waters that teem with aquatic life.<\/p>\n \u201cNow is the time to fly that banner,\u201d McConnell said.<\/p>\n The river is the cleanest<\/a> it has been in a long time, especially since the Clean Water Act of the early 1970s and since the Environmental Protection Agency declared the river safe for swimming in 2011.<\/p>\n \u201cSo this, really, is the natural next step for what\u2019s right for Chicago, what\u2019s right for the Chicago River, and what\u2019s right for the people who live here,\u201d said Margaret Frisbie, executive director of advocacy nonprofit Friends of the Chicago River.<\/p>\n Today, the waterway is home to a thriving economy and restored wildlife, including migratory birds<\/a>,\u00a0beavers<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0turtles<\/a>, as well as\u00a0almost 70 species of fish<\/a>\u00a0\u2014 up from\u00a0fewer than 10 in the 1970s<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cA lot of them are native fish, and I like to talk about how the native fish are pretty picky about what they enjoy, from a water quality standpoint,\u201d said Austin Happel, research biologist at the Shedd Aquarium. \u201cSeeing a ton of native fish really speaks to the increase in health of the ecosystem.\u201d<\/p>\n While most of his work focuses on studying<\/a> wildlife \u2014 specifically fish and how they move<\/a> and behave<\/a> in the Chicago River \u2014 Happel also gets to hear from people and learn how they interact with the environment.<\/p>\n In the early 20th century, the Chicago River Swim was an annual event that drew thousands of spectators<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n \u201cAll of these recreational activities are bringing people to a natural resource,\u201d he said, \u201cand the more attention and the more people that use that natural resource, the more capacity we have and the ability to fight, to protect and restore it.\u201d<\/p>\n Organizers will still keep a close eye on bacteria levels in the river \u2014 another main focus of swimmer safety. Besides real-time<\/a> water quality monitoring that the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and local water innovation hub Current<\/a> already carry out in the main branch of the river, scientists from the University of Illinois Chicago will test the water for bacteria levels every day for three weeks leading up to the event, McConnell said.<\/p>\n In the news release, organizers said they are committed to allowing swimmers in the river \u201conly if it meets all safety standards for human contact.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cData collected in the lead-up to the event will guide the final call, and the team is prepared to postpone or cancel the swim if necessary,\u201d according to the statement.<\/p>\n In Chicago, heavy rains can cause overflows in its sewer system<\/a>, with pipes that carry both stormwater runoff and sewage, releasing fecal matter into local waterways. Rains can also transport contaminated sediment from industry and even dog poop, which also has fecal coliform \u2014 the bacteria found in waste from warm-blooded animals.<\/p>\n Drinking or coming into contact with elevated levels of fecal coliform may cause an upset stomach, vomiting, fever or diarrhea in people. It can also cause serious conditions or death in vulnerable populations such as children, older people and immunocompromised individuals.<\/p>\n Some of these concerns about bacteria have recently played out on an international stage. Last July, the open-swimming competitions of the Paris Olympics were held in the iconic Seine River<\/a> after\u00a0initial contention and canceled test runs<\/a> due to water quality concerns. After competing, many of the athletes experienced symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and stomach cramps.<\/p>\n But water quality readings in the Chicago and Calumet rivers last summer showed that conditions remained good or low-caution<\/a> for recreational users on 78 of 101 days, according to a Current report<\/a> released in May. The other 23 days last summer had high caution readings that lasted anywhere from one to 24 hours, only four of those corresponding with sewer overflows.<\/p>\n Last month, three new swimming sites opened on the Paris riverbank<\/a> for locals and tourists after a $1.5 billion cleanup project. Taking a dip there had been illegal since 1923 due to pollution and river navigation.<\/p>\n \u201cI think there\u2019s a global surge in interest in swimmable urban rivers,\u201d said Alaina Harkness, CEO of Current. \u201cTo have Chicago front and center, bringing a river swim back \u2014 it\u2019s just such an important way for us to showcase all the investment over decades (in) making our river safe to swim.\u201d<\/p>\n President Donald Trump promises clean water. His proposed budget guts needed protections.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Frisbie, from Friends of the Chicago River, said in a Thursday news release that swimming in the waterway is about more than just recreation.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is opening the door to a whole new way of using the Chicago River,\u201d she told the Tribune.<\/p>\n In the statement, she said hosting the historic event \u201cdemonstrates to the city, the region and the world that Chicago cares about its people, the environment and its water resources and that Chicago is a leader in recognizing the considerable role our rivers can play in public health and a climate resilient future.\u201d<\/p>\n This year, the event will host 2020 Olympian Natalie Hinds of USA Swimming<\/a>, who earned a bronze medal in Tokyo. As an athlete ambassador for the team\u2019s foundation, she said she feels aligned with the event\u2019s mission to raise money and fund swimming lessons for children whose families cannot afford them.<\/p>\n \u201cI care deeply about water safety, broadening access to swimming, and preventing drownings through community outreach and education,\u201d Hinds said in the news release. \u201cPartnering with an event that champions local learn\u2011to\u2011swim programs in Chicago is both inspiring and deeply meaningful to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Black and Hispanic people are\u00a0less likely<\/a> to know how to swim than any other racial or ethnic groups in the United States. Experts have found that even a few lessons can significantly decrease the risk of drowning<\/a>, McConnell said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe return of the Chicago River Swim marks a major victory for our city \u2014 a testament to decades of hard work revitalizing our river,\u201d Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said in the news release. \u201cI commend the organizers for their commitment to safety and dedication to empowering Black and Brown youth through swim education. This event is a celebration of Chicago\u2019s progress and a brighter, more inclusive future.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Swim](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/ctc-229058001-e1754336716577.jpg\")
Swim race contestant Johnny Weissmuller swims in the river while being closely followed by Lincoln Park life guard Pete Weissmuller in 1926. (Chicago Herald and Examiner)<\/p>\n\n
\n