1. FOR ASSESSMENT THE WATER QUALITY OF RIVER YAMUNA
WATER QUALITY INDEX
FOR ASSESSMENT THE WATER QUALITY OF RIVER YAMUNA
Dr. Jakir Husain
Research Officer & In-Charge
National River Water Quality Laboratory,
Central Water Commission, New Delhi

2. Distribution of Water on Earth

3. Indian River System West flowing rivers - East flowing river -
Himalayan rivers
Deccan rivers
Coastal rivers
Rivers of Inland drainage basin
Indus and Ganga-Brahamaputra- Meghna river system
West flowing rivers -
Narmada & Tapi
East flowing river -
Brahmani, Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Cauvery, Pennar
Coastal rivers-
- Non – perennial river
Inland drainage basin
- Centered in Western Rajasthan

4. The Yamuna Basin - Basic features
The river Yamuna, a major tributary of river Ganges.
Distinguished Independent Segments of River Yamuna
Himalayan Segment
From origin to Tajewala Barrage
(172 kms)
Upper Segment
Tajewala Barrage to Wazirabad Barrage
(224 kms)
Delhi Segment
Wazirabad Barrage to Okhla Barrage
(22 kms)
Eutriphicated Segment
Okhla Barrage to Chambal Confluence
(490 kms)
Diluted Segment
Chambal Confluence to Ganga Confluence
(468 kms)

5. Use of Yamuna River Water
Source: The Yamuna River Basin

6. Water Quality Issues in River Yamuna
High Organic Contents
High Nutrients
Excessive Presence of Pathogens
Accumulation of Pollutants in the Catchment Area
Aesthetic Value
Reduction in the Quantity of Water
Discharges from Sewage Treatment Plants

7. Water Quality Monitoring on River Yamuna
Water Quality Trend &
Water Quality Monitoring on River Yamuna
The water quality data during the past 12 years ( ) were compiled for twelve monitoring locations at Yamuna River.
S. No.
Water Quality Site
Catchment Area SqKm
Latitude
Longitude
State
District 1
Paonta
10769
30°25'31''
77°35'31''
Himachal Pradesh
Simaur 2
Kalanaur
12639
30°04'10''
77°21'52''
Uttar Pradesh
Saharanpur 3
Mawi
15622
29°23'07''
77°09'16''
Muzaffar Nagar 4
Palla
17324
28°49'46''
77°13'27''
Delhi
North West Delhi 5
Delhi Rly Bridge
18552
28°39'45''
77°14'48''
North Delhi 6
Mohana
27670
28°14'58''
77°28'12''
Haryana
Faridabad 7
Mathura
47463
27°26'30''
77°42'54'' 8
Agra (P.G.)
49052
27°15'15''
78°01'23''
Agra 9
Etawah
98715
26°45'00''
78°59'00'' 10
Auraiya
261331
26°25'34''
79°25'00'' 11
Hamirpur
276789
25°57'39''
80°09'16'' 12
Pratappur
366522
25°21'17''
81°40'02''
Allahabad

8. Water Quality Standards
Characteristics
IS 2296:1992
Designated Best Use A B C D E
Dissolved Oxygen (DO)mg/l, min 6 5 4 -
Biochemical Oxygen demand (BOD)mg/l, max 2 3
pH value
Total dissolved solids, mg/l, max.
500
1,500
2,100
Total hardness (as CaCO3), mg/l, max.
200
Calcium hardness (as CaCO3), mg/l, max.
Magnesium hardness (as CaCO3), mg/l, max.
Iron (as Fe), mg/l, max.
0.3
0.5
Chloride (as Cl), mg/l, max.
250
600
Sulphates (as SO4), mg/l, max.
400
1,000
Nitrates (as NO3), mg/l, max. 20 50
Fluorides (as F), mg/l, max.
1.5
Iron (as Fe), mg/l, max
Electrical conductivity, micromhos/cm, max
2,250
Boron, mg/l, max
Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) IS 2296:1992 has recommended the quality standards for designated best uses and these have been used for finding the suitability of river water.
On this basis of classification, the natural river water of India has been categorized as –
Class – A: Drinking Water Source without conventional treatment but after disinfection;
Class – B: Outdoor bathing (Organised);
Class – C: Drinking water source after conventional treatment and disinfection;
Class – D: Propagation of Wild life and Fisheries;
Class – E: Irrigation, Industrial Cooling, Controlled Waste disposal.

9. pH
Chambal R.
Sind R.
Betwa & Ken River

10. Electrical Conductivity
Chambal R.
Sind R.
Betwa & Ken River

11. Fluoride & Sulphate
BIS has recommended an limit of 1.5 mg/L of F for Class A, B & C
All the Samples found within the limit in the Yamuna Stretch.
The BIS (Bureau of Indian Standard) 2296:1992 has set the limit of sulphate for Class A - Drinking water source without conventional treatment but after disinfections and Class C - Drinking water source with conventional treatment followed by disinfections is 400 mg/L and for Class E - Fisheries and Irrigation, industrial cooling, controlled waste disposal is 1000 mg/L.

12. Chloride
Chloride concentration in the river Yamuna ranges from June, 2014 to 466 November, 2012.
Chloride concentration of 7 stations (Poanta, Kalanour, Mawi, Palla, Auariya, Hamirpur & Pratappur) are within the Class A and C.
Remaining six water quality stations (Polluted Stretch) have chloride concentration above the permissible limit 250 mg/L.
All the water quality stations are fit for Class E - Fisheries and Irrigation, industrial cooling, controlled waste disposal. Data shows that water is suitable for irrigation purpose in respect of chloride.

13. Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand

14. At Delhi
Delhi the BOD level in the river Yamuna has been in the range 1.38 mg/L during October, 2011 to mg/L during February, 2012.
Najafgarh drain carries about 48% of the waste water from Delhi
other 9 minor drains contribute 30% wastewater of Delhi and the wastewater of Noida, joins Yamuna River in the downstream of Okhla barrage.
Yamuna River received major portion of the total discharge from the 22 major drains of Delhi

15. At Mathura

16. At Agra

17. Agra to Etawah
At Agra BOD varies 0.2 to 167 mg/L. The water quality monitoring station located upstream of Agra.
At Agra the reason for higher BOD may be contribution of BOD load from Buria Ka Nagla STP and other wastewater discharges, garbage disposal etc.
After river location Nizamuddin Bridge, Agra downstream is worst polluted.
Agra to Ewawah – example of the selfpurification capacity of the river Yamuna
Agra
Etawah

18. Dilution Stretch
The river is monitored for DO-BOD levels at Auraiya, Hamirpur and Pratappur. It is only after receiving the water from Chambal that the Yamuna gets a respite by reducing BOD levels due to dilution.
There is not much industrial activity in the catchment between Etawah and Pratappur.
River Yamuna also receives Chambal, Sind, Betwa, Rind and Ken which normally have flows with comparatively low values of BOD and high DO.

19. Water Quality Index
A Water Quality Index (WQI) is a useful statistical tool for simplifying, reporting and interpreting complex information obtained regarding water quality.
Yamuna Basin has plotted WQ Index by using 12 water quality parameters namely, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, total hardness, calcium hardness, magnesium hardness, total dissolved solids, ammonia, sulphate, nitrate, boron, fluoride, chloride and SAR.
The data analysis carried out on the observed data of River Yamuna for the last three years ( ).

20. Water Quality Index
Water Quality Index (WQI)
Scope (F1) – Number of variables not meeting water quality objectives
Frequency (F2) – Number of times the objectives are not met.
Amplitude F3) – The extent to which objectives exceeded

21. Water Quality Index
Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME), Based on the index values, five classes of water quality were set: excellent, good, fair, marginal and poor.
Water Quality Index (WQI)categorization
Quality of Water
CCME WQI value
Description 
Excellent
95-100
water quality is protected with a virtual absence of threat or impairment; conditions are very close to natural or pristine levels
Good
80-94
water quality is protected with only a minor degree of threat or impairment; conditions rarely depart from natural or desirable levels
Fair
65-79
water quality is usually protected, but occasionally threatened or impaired; conditions sometimes depart from natural or desirable levels
Marginal
45-64
water quality is frequently threatened or impaired; conditions often depart from natural or desirable levels
Poor
0-44
water quality is almost always threatened or impaired; conditions usually depart from natural or desirable levels

22. Water Quality Index Quality of Water CCME - WQI value Excellent 95-100
WQ Site
Class - A
Class - B
Class - C
Class -D
Class - E M NM
Poanta 94 90 95
100
Kalanour 88 91 97
Mawi 85 78 69 62 80 86 71
Palla 65 63 57 81 58
Delhi 50 40 44 39 66 36 29
Mohana 55 45 73 34 32
Mathura 51 42 41 60
Agra 48 56 84 52
Etawah 54 83
Auariya 82 79 72 93 89
Hamirpur 70 75
Pratappur 87 96 74 92
Quality of Water
CCME WQI value
Excellent
95-100
Good
80-94
Fair
65-79
Marginal
45-64
Poor
0-44

23. Water Quality Index For Class - A
0-44 = Poor ; = Marginal ; = Fair ; = Good ; = Excellent
Quality of Water
CCME WQI value
Excellent
95-100
Good
80-94
Fair
65-79
Marginal
45-64
Poor
0-44
Chambal
Sind
Betwa & Ken River
Yamuna River Segment
Monsoon
Non-monsoon
Upper Segment
94-78
90-65
Delhi Segment 50 40
Eutriphicated Segment
55-58
45-54
Diluted Segment
82-87
78-84

24. Water Quality Index For Class - A
WQ Site
Class - A M NM
Poanta 95
Kalanour 91 90
Mawi 69 62
Palla 63 57
Delhi 44 39
Mohana 40
Mathura 45 41
Agra 56
Etawah 51
Auariya 79 72
Hamirpur 81 73
Pratappur 82 75

25. Water Quality Index For Class - B
0-44 = Poor ; = Marginal ; = Fair ; = Good ; = Excellent
Chambal
Sind
Betwa & Ken River
Quality of Water
CCME WQI value
Excellent
95-100
Good
80-94
Fair
65-79
Marginal
45-64
Poor
0-44
Yamuna River Segment
Monsoon
Non-monsoon
Upper Segment
95-63
95-57
Delhi Segment 44 39
Eutriphicated Segment
44-57
40-51
Diluted Segment
79-82
72-75

26. Water Quality Index For Class - B
WQ Site
Class - A M NM
Poanta 94 90
Kalanour 88
Mawi 85 78
Palla 65
Delhi 50 40
Mohana 55 45
Mathura 51 42
Agra 48
Etawah 58 54
Auariya 82
Hamirpur 83 70
Pratappur 87 84

27. Water Quality Index For Class - C
Chambal
Sind
Betwa & Ken River
Quality of Water
CCME WQI value
Excellent
95-100
Good
80-94
Fair
65-79
Marginal
45-64
Poor
0-44
Yamuna River Segment
Monsoon
Non-monsoon
Upper Segment
100-86
100-81
Delhi Segment 66 57
Eutriphicated Segment
73-83
65-83
Diluted Segment
95-96
93-94

28. Water Quality Index For Class - B
Water Quality Index For Class - C
Water Quality Index For Class - B
WQ Site
Class - A M NM
Poanta
100
Kalanour 95 97
Mawi 85 80
Palla 86 81
Delhi 66 57
Mohana 73 65
Mathura 71 60
Agra 84
Etawah 83
Auariya 93
Hamirpur
Pratappur 96 94

29. Water Quality Index For Class - D
0-44 = Poor ; = Marginal ; = Fair ; = Good ; = Excellent
Chambal
Sind
Betwa & Ken River
Quality of Water
CCME WQI value
Excellent
95-100
Good
80-94
Fair
65-79
Marginal
45-64
Poor
0-44
Yamuna River Segment
Monsoon
Non-monsoon
Upper Segment
100-80
100-58
Delhi Segment 36 29
Eutriphicated Segment
34-52
32-48
Diluted Segment
89-94
73-74

30. Water Quality Index For Class - B
Water Quality Index For Class - D
Water Quality Index For Class - B
WQ Site
Class - A M NM
Poanta
100
Kalanour
Mawi 86 71
Palla 80 58
Delhi 36 29
Mohana 34 32
Mathura 39
Agra 52 45
Etawah 48
Auariya 89 73
Hamirpur 84 75
Pratappur 94 74

31. Water Quality Index For Class - E
0-44 = Poor ; = Marginal ; = Fair ; = Good ; = Excellent
Chambal
Sind
Betwa & Ken River
Quality of Water
CCME WQI value
Excellent
95-100
Good
80-94
Fair
65-79
Marginal
45-64
Poor
0-44
Yamuna River Segment
Monsoon
Non-monsoon
Upper Segment
100-95
100-97
Delhi Segment
100 97
Eutriphicated Segment
97-90
100-91
Diluted Segment
97-92
94-94

32. Water Quality Index For Class - B
Water Quality Index For Class - E
Water Quality Index For Class - B
WQ Site
Class - A M NM
Poanta
100
Kalanour
Mawi 86 71
Palla 80 58
Delhi 36 29
Mohana 34 32
Mathura 39
Agra 52 45
Etawah 48
Auariya 89 73
Hamirpur 84 75
Pratappur 94 74

33. Conclusion
Upper stretches of the river Yamuna Origin to Wazirabad (396 km) is not polluted. Some stretches near by Mawi is slightly polluted.
It is observed that about 22 km stretch of the river is in bad shape, having poor water quality most of the time, which is below the desired limit (i.e. designated best use).
The stretch between Wazirabad and Okhla is the most heavily polluted one, carrying the massive input of wastewater from Delhi. This stretch is characterized by high bacterial population, cloudy appearance, high BOD and strong disagreeable odour – all indicating general depletion of oxygen.
Mohana to Agra the BOD level found higher.
At Agra upstream the BOD concentration was even higher than Mathura. Agra downstream is worst polluted. At this location BOD ranged from 4 – 43 mg/l.
The 210 km long stretch from Agra to the confluence with the Chambal River at Etawah is characterized by self- purification processes of the Agra effluents.
The confluence with relatively clean Chambal River is of great value in diluting the pollution load of Yamuna River before it joins the Ganga at Allahabad. 468 km is stretch is not polluted due to tributaries of river Yamuna.

34. What Needs to be done Defensive approaches
Improving the sewerage system
Wastewater treatment and management
Upgrading the existing sewage treatment plants capacity
Proper disposal of (partially) treated sewage
Industrial waste water management
Improving agriculture practices
Solid waste management
Planning and zoning of the wastewater outfalls
Legislation and fines

35. What Needs to be done Pro-active approaches
Creation of awareness amongst the masses
Improving the dilution ratio of the river
Artificial and in–stream aeration
Increasing the river’s waste assimilative capacity
Better use of assimilation capacity
Creation of an artificial lake