Your toilet could be the reason behind Delhi’s highest Yamuna pollution since 2020
Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), the faecal coliform count reached 79,00,000 most probable number per 100 milliliters (MPN/100ml). This marks a sharp increase from 3,20,000 in 2023 and 6,80,000 in 2021, a TOI report stated.
The river’s biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), a measure of organic pollution, also deteriorated in November, indicating a worsening pollution load compared to October.
Faecal Pollution Exceeds Standards
Faecal coliform levels in the Yamuna, which reflect untreated sewage contamination, were alarmingly higher than permissible limits. For water to be considered healthy, faecal coliform should not exceed 2,500 units, with an ideal limit of 500 units. In stark contrast, the faecal coliform levels in December 2020 had reached 1,20,00,00,000 MPN/100ml.
Frothing and Other Parameters Show High Contamination
Visible frothing, caused by pollutants such as surfactants and phosphates, has been reported in several stretches of the river since September. Other indicators like dissolved oxygen (DO) and BOD were also far from acceptable. While DO, a measure of the water’s ability to sustain life, fell to nil in heavily polluted stretches, BOD values spiked far above the permissible limit of 5 mg/l.
At Palla, where the river enters Delhi, the DO level was 6.1 mg/l, and faecal coliform levels were within limits at 1,100 units. However, by the time it reached the ISBT bridge, DO dropped to zero, and faecal coliform levels soared to 490,000 units.
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