Water Quality Monitoring (WQM) System for River Ganga Overview

In the World Bank funded WQM project, water quality monitoring of river Ganga is carried out through bio-monitoring as well as sensors based real time system. This project was sanctioned on 19th June, 2013 for an amount of Rs. 94.45 crores for 7 years w.e.f. 19.06.2013 which was completed in June, 2020. Drawing power of WQM project was available till 30.06.2020, however, based on CPCB request, the same was extended up to 15.07.2020.

Administrative Approval and Expenditure Sanction (AA&ES) to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for executing the project ‘Water Quality Monitoring System for River Ganga-CPCB Phase II for the period 2020-2026’ under the Institutional Development component of the World Bank assisted National Ganga River Basin Project under Namami Gange programme at an estimated cost of Rs. 126.17 crores (Rupees One Hundred and Twenty-Six Crores and Seventeen Lakhs only) was issued on 27.08.2020 by NMCG. The duration of the project is 6 (six) years with effect from 20th June, 2020 to 19th June, 2026.

CPCB has been mandated with the responsibility of undertaking continuous Real Time Water Quality Monitoring (RTWQM) of river Ganga and during first phase, 36 RTWQM stations were commissioned w.e.f. 11.03.2017 under World Bank supported National Ganga River Basin (NGRB) project. These real time stations measure water quality of river Ganga for 17 parameters i.e. Bio-chemical Oxygen Demand, Dissolved Oxygen, Conductivity, pH, Temperature, Ammonia, Chloride, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Turbidity, Nitrate, TOC and Water level etc. In addition to 36 Real Time Water Quality Monitoring Stations, installation of 40 new RTWQM stations is to be completed in October,2021.

Bio-monitoring of river Ganga at various locations (Haridwar to Diamond Harbour in West Bengal) has been carried out to study the Benthic Macro Invertebrates, which reflects the biological health of river. It has been observed that water quality of river Ganga supports diversified macro invertebrate’s community and studied river stretch reflects Good to Moderate level of biological water quality with respect to Biological Water Quality Criteria (BWQC) which is recommended by CPCB and based on range of saprobic score.

Currently, bio-assessment study is being carried out by CPCB at a total of 42 locations of river Ganga (34 locations are on main stream and 08 locations are on tributaries) and 12 locations in river Yamuna on seasonal basis i.e. twice a year [Pre-monsoon/ summer (April-June) and post monsoon/ winter (November – March)].