Excess water in the Yamuna River in New Delhi, India, has refreshed the river and cleared wastewater out of its system.
Earlier in August, the Yamuna wasn't doing so well. The Times of India reported that the river had high fecal coliform levels at about 54,000 most probable number per 100 milliliters.
Right before the river overflowed on Sept. 4, its fecal coliform levels dropped drastically between 790 and 3,500 most probable number per 100 milliliters.
"The Yamuna shows significant improvement in the key parameters primarily due to the flood spell in the river," said Bhim Singh Rawat of the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers, and People, as reported by the Times of India.
Rawat continued: "The samples were taken on the day when a huge volume of floodwater from the Hatnikund barrage had already reached and was passing through the Delhi segment, flushing out the legacy pollutants."
TOI stated that this event allowed scientists to conclude that healthy river flow is more important than rain. While the rain helped, flowing water is what flushes out pollutants and restores oxygen levels. It also reduces fecal contamination and supports aquatic life.
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Regardless, this is huge positive news for people living along the river and the environment itself.
Water is quite literally life in many ways. It allows wildlife to thrive and is necessary for many people to support themselves. Rivers can provide fresh, clean drinking water as well.
This isn't the first time the Yamuna has contained an immense amount of pollution. In addition to fecal pollution, the river has a history of harboring microplastics.
Keeping our waterways free of plastic and other kinds of pollution is crucial for humanity's health. Less plastic in our water could mean lower cancer rates, lower cholesterol, and better immunity. And it means we won't have to spend as much money on cleaning our waterways.
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Never 👎 The water levels TOI reported aren't the cleanest or most desirable. But the results still show that healthy river flow can lead to communities becoming healthier and safer.
If you're looking for ways to do the same for your local community, consider using less plastic. While going straight to zero waste may not be feasible, smaller and imperfect actions are better than nothing.
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