Halle (dpa/sa) – A few dozen competitive swimmers climbed into the river in Halle on Saturday for the 16th Saale swimming event. They also want to show that you can swim and bathe in the Saale, said the organizers. During the GDR era, the river was polluted by untreated industrial waste water. In 1990, after tests of the water quality, the Saale received the rating “heavily polluted” from the state. In the meantime, the body of water in Halle has once again been designated as a bathing area according to European Union guidelines and is in a relatively good chemical condition.