State of Pune's rivers

Pune city’s unplanned growth has wiped out three rivers from its topography, well almost. Mutha, Ramnadi and Pavana, now no longer exist as rivers but have turned into nullahs carrying sewage. Studies conducted by four environmental research groups have found that these water bodies have not only turned into sewers but the filth floating in them has turned into a big health concern for those living near them.
If the citizens remember the Mutha for its clear water and clean bank, where they played many childhood games, the river has now become a mosquito breeding ground. The dissolved oxygen level in all the three rivers was found to be less than 1 ppm and the turbidity was very high in the city limits with residents along the river banks complaining about water borne diseases such as dysentery and gastroentritis. The Mula river is also steadily regressing towards this sorry state but the Indrayani is comparatively cleaner.
Four organisations – The Shrishti Environment and Sustainability Society (SESS), Jalbiradari, SETU and the Shristi Eco Research Institute (SERI) tested water samples from all the five rivers at various points in the city and found that sewage and industrial waste were the major causes of pollution.
Sandeep Joshi, director of SERI said that when Mutha, Ramnadi and Pavana enter Pune, they are dumped with sewage and industrial waste. The river stretches inside the city have dissolved oxygen level below 1 ppm, when ideally it should be more than 5 ppm. Dissolved oxygen is one of the most important indicators of the quality of water and its availability is vital for aquatic life.
It was found that, from the Katraj bypass culvert to Vitthalwadi, the Mutha river receives a lot of sewage which has led to the growth of water hyacinth. In Vitthalwadi, the dissolved oxygen level is less than 1 ppm. After Vitthalwadi, the level is nil and the water stinks here.
The dissolved oxygen levels in Ramnadi and Pavana too have dropped precariously. In the case of Ramnadi, the dissolved oxygen before Pashan lake was found to be nil, whereas the turbidity was more than 100 JTU (jackson turbidity unit). The standard limit for turbidity is less than 10 JTU. Joshi said that the ecologically dissolved oxygen is helping reduce the pollution level in Ramnadi. Near Baner, the dissolved oxygen level was 1.3 ppm.
In Mutha river, the total hardness was found to be 400-500 mg per litre, whereas for normal drinking water it should be 300 mg per litre. Before 2005, the total hardness of the river water was less than 100 mg per litre.
In Pavana river, the sampling point at Ravet recorded 6.5 mg per litre dissolved oxygen and the hardness was 150 mg per litre. Joshi said that the water can be used for drinking after treatment. Near Morya Gosavi mandir, several drainage lines enter the river and a distinct variation in colouration of the river is seen. Fishermen said that they catch tilapia fish but they have to dispose it of immediately as the fish decays faster. Near Mahalaxmi temple in Pimple Saudagar, the dissolved oxygen level is zero and in Sangvi it is less than 1 ppm. After the Morya Gosavi mandir, the hardness of the water was 400 mg per litre.
The Indrayani river, however, is still alive. The dissolved oxygen in the water near Induri bridge and Dehu was found to be satisfactory though some floating plastic material was seen. But the water stinks near Moshi.
In the Mula river, surveyors found reduction in dissolved oxygen. Near Aundh bridge it was 7 to 8 ppm earlier, but it has come down to 3.9 ppm now. Near the Mula-Pavana confluence, the dissolved oxygen level was less than 1 ppm, which means the water quality has deteriorated to such a level that aquatic life is negligible. But after that there is not much sewage ingress due to sparsely populated CME, BEG and other military establishments, and the river breathes again and dissolved oxygen level increases near Holkar bridge. Near Westin Hotel, due to the Bhairoba nullah discharge, the dissolved oxygen is less.