Ammonia, phosphate levels way beyond safety limits in Yamuna

Increased levels of ammonia, phosphates and total dissolved solids (TDS)—way beyond their safety limits— have been observed in the Yamuna, an official of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) said. The official said the high levels of these pollutants, insufficient supply of raw water and dry river beds have affected water supply in the national capital.

The ammonia concentration in the river has increased to two parts per million (PPM), higher than the safety limit of 0.5 PPM. This affected the water supply in parts of Delhi on Friday and Saturday, with the water treatment plants (WTP) at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla running at capacity to treat the polluted water with chlorine. “The treatment plants are stopped by DJB when the content of ammonia is high and cannot be treated. This is what affects the supply of water,” the spokesperson from DJB said.

Ammonia levels in water are also harmful for aquatic life because they make it more alkaline. The recent discovery of a large number of dead fish in the Yamuna can also be linked to the ammonia toxicity. “Since the availability of raw water is less, the levels of ammonia have gone up. The levels will come down with the onset of monsoon in Delhi,” the spokesperson added. Levels of phosphate, a pollutant which is responsible for a toxic white foam in the river, have also increased from the safety limit of 0.1 PPM to 0.7 PPM. “We have identified new pollutants in the Yamuna which should not be there. The levels of phosphate should be not more than 0.1 PPM but we are observing them to be 0.7 PPM at the moment,” a government official said.

Phosphates are an ingredient used in many detergents. Domestic wastewater, industrial effluents, idol immersion, pesticide residue and untreated sewage are some of the sources of this pollutant in the river. “Lakhs of unauthorized industries that release effluents in the river are the leading cause of the pollution,” said Manoj Mishra, convener, Yamuna Jiye Abhiyan.

The TDS levels in the river have also shot up to 600 PPM which indicates heavy pollution, as compared to the regular levels of TDS of around 100-150 PPM. ‘The recent cloud burst has resulted in a lot of sediment in the water which has led to the high levels of TDS. The water, once treated at the WTP, will have the normal level of TDS,” the DJB spokesperson said.

Queries sent to the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on Friday remain unanswered.