Swimmable Cities are transforming urban waterways

Launched in the lead up to the Paris Olympics in July 2024, the Swimmable Cities alliance is supporting a global, grassroots movement for swimmable urban waterways. With 100 diverse signatory organisations from 59 cities and communities and 22 countries, our Swimmable Cities Charter champions the Right to Swim, celebrates urban swimming culture, and honours the sacredness of water.

Unlike many global sustainable development frameworks and initiatives, the measure of whether an urban waterway is clean enough to swim in or not, is a universal way that people can understand the relationships between social, environmental and economic health. Even if they don’t understand the details, they can also appreciate that the forces of urbanisation, industrialisation and colonisation have led to waterway degradation. Fortunately, the goal of swimming inspires people to help clean, restore and heal these precious aquatic and marine ecosystems.

We believe that a global reassessment of priorities is taking place; clean water, fresh air and thriving biodiversity inside cities are becoming foundation stones for a new brand of regenerative development and infrastructure.

From our journey so far, we’ve started to see patterns of how successful advocacy can lead to breakthroughs for local actors working towards their urban waterways becoming ‘swimmable’ and the creation of thriving urban swimming communities. The changing relationships between urban water, communities and built environments is unique in every place, but common themes exist. A city or community can in fact become internationally renowned for its ‘swimmability’, which has direct economic and social benefits from the perspectives of quality of life, spiritual connection, workplace productivity and tourism. For example, Copenhagen, Paris and Rotterdam.

Together we aim to rewrite rules, promote participation and create resilient, connected communities.

Our definition of ‘swimmable’ cities is: Swimmable cities are built environments with urban waterways that have achieved and sustain ‘bathing water’ standards (such as those described in the European Bathing Water Directive), supported by complementary policies, infrastructure, amenities, services and cultural practices.’

The 10 principles of the official Swimmable Cities Charter address many of the interconnected aspects of why ‘swimmability’ is important.

1. The Right to Swim

Safe, healthy and swimmable waterways should be accessible to all people.

2. One Health, Many Swimmers

Swimmable urban waterways are vital to the liveability of cities and communities, as shared civic places that promote the health of people (physically, mentally, spiritually) and the health of Mother Earth.

3. Urban Swimming Culture

Urban swimming culture is a unique expression of life in cities and communities, reflecting the distinct interplay of sports, recreation and tourism in each given place, as well as natural and cultural heritage.

4. Water is Sacred

Urban swimming should celebrate natural waterways as living, integrated entities that nurture communities; promoting universal accessibility and peaceful coexistence inclusive of religious, cultural and gender diversity.

ENABLING CONDITIONS

5. Rewriting the Rules

Urban waterway swimming should become part of a new status quo in public access standards, challenging accepted conventions such as industrial uses and stormwater pollution, with governing authorities swiftly amending legal and regulatory frameworks to enable citizens access to its benefits.

6. Democratic Participation in Swimming Places

Urban swimming places and experiences should be planned, designed, made and operated through inclusive, integrated water management approaches; with managers ensuring universal access via community-led programs for learning how to swim in natural waterways and ecological literacy.

7. Reconnection & Resilience

Urban swimming places and experiences should be invested in as an innovative way to enable resilient communities to adapt and thrive in a changing global climate, environment and economy.

SHARING BENEFITS

8. New Economic Opportunities

Urban swimming development models should balance social, cultural, ecological and economic values, creating new jobs, careers and livelihoods in regenerative professions and industries.

9. Sharing Wellbeing Benefits, Culture & Knowledge

Urban swimming should create wellbeing benefits to local citizens, ecosystems and economies; enhanced by the respectful sharing of Indigenous, traditional and Western water culture knowledge.

NEXT GENERATION

10. Stewardship for Today, Tomorrow & Future Generations

Urban swimmers are stewards responsible for protecting the health of their local waterways, working alongside Mother Earth’s closest carers, such as Indigenous peoples, rangers and waterkeepers as well as urbanists, architects, social changemakers, educators and policy-makers.

 A swimmable city is a healthy, liveable city. So let’s make every city a swimmable city! 

#WaterWiseEU campaign 

This story has been submitted by a partner of the #WaterWiseEU campaign. The EU-wide campaign focuses on water resilience, aiming to change the way we see, use and value water. Find out more about the campaign and how you can get involved.