- By Abhishek Sheoran
- Sun, 18 May 2025 02:37 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Noida is facing an acute water crisis despite its proximity to rivers like Yamuna and Hindon. Although these rivers have adequate water flow, severe pollution has left the water unfit for use, forcing residents to turn to alternative sources.
Although the municipal water supply remains adequate, residential societies are increasingly turning to private tankers, bottled water and filtration systems due to concerns over water quality.
According to a recent report by the TOI, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has labelled the Hindon a dead river, which cannot support even aquatic life. This is due to dangerously high pollution levels. The Yamuna fares no better, as untreated sewage continues to be discharged into the river at multiple points across Delhi, significantly degrading its water quality before it reaches Uttar Pradesh.
Water quality tests paint a grim picture. The Dissolved Oxygen (DO) level, a key indicator of a river's healthis a mere 2.1 mg/litre at the Okhla Barrage in the Yamuna, while the Hindon records zero DO at Kulesra Village in Greater Noida. These figures fall far below the minimum safe standards not just for drinking, but even for sustaining aquatic life.
The Yamuna River shows a faecal coliform concentration of 200,000 per 100 millilitres, whereas the Hindon River records a total coliform count of 3.9 million per 100 millilitres — both figures far exceeding the permissible limit of 50 MPN/100 ml.
As per Sunita Narain, director general of the Centre for Science and Environment, the water of these rivers is not even suitable for irrigation or wildlife and hence there are no options to treat it for human use. She said there was an urgent need for the implementation of sewage treatment and pollution control measures.
