Delhi's Yamuna sees its cleanest water in a decade

India Sep 30, 2025

Big news for Delhi—Yamuna River just saw its cleanest water since 2013, all thanks to recent floods that flushed out pollution and diluted sewage.
On September 3, pollution levels dropped sharply: fecal coliform was down to just 790 MPN/100 ml at Palla and 3,500 at Okhla, compared to a whopping 54,000 in August.

Experts warn clean-up could be temporary

For the first time in 10 years, dissolved oxygen was present throughout the river stretch (between 3.7 and 5.1 mg/l), while high water levels during early September helped cut biological oxygen demand at Okhla.
Experts credit both floodwaters and better sewage treatment for this win—but some warn it could be temporary unless Delhi keeps up the momentum on river care.