Kiera Jefferson
Rivers are essential for life, providing fresh water, food, housing, transport, and recreation facilities. However, human activities have severely impacted rivers, leading to a decline in their natural sheen and force. One of the most striking examples of this is the pollution of sacred rivers, such as the Ganges in India, which is revered by Hindus as a holy and pious river. Despite its cultural and religious significance, the Ganges, along with other sacred rivers like the Yamuna, has become severely polluted due to untreated sewage, industrial waste, and agricultural runoff. This contamination poses serious health risks to those who depend on these rivers, including devotees who bathe in them as a spiritual practice. Addressing river pollution requires a combination of infrastructure development, waste management solutions, and a shift in public mindset, prioritizing environmental cleanliness and sustainability.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Population explosion along the river basin | 120 million people travelled to Allahabad during the Maha Kumbh Mela |
| Inadequate management of industrial and agricultural growth | 800 million litres of largely untreated sewage and additional 44 million litres of industrial effluents each day |
| Religious festivals like the Kumbh Mela | Over 100 million additional people to the river |
| Contamination due to pollution and waste | High levels of fecal coliform bacteria from human waste in the river near Varanasi |
| Sewage disposal | More than 3000 million liters of untreated sewage is being dumped into the Ganges |
| Washing clothes | |
| Bathing animals | |
| Sale and disposal of plastic material around ritual areas |
What You'll Learn
Population explosion along the river basin
The Cauvery River Basin in southern India is facing major challenges in its water resources management (WRM) sector. Water shortages are attributed to issues such as an explosion in population, rapid urbanisation and industrialisation, environmental degradation and inefficient water use, all aggravated by changing climate and its impacts on demand, supply and water quality.
The Cauvery River is the seventh largest river in India with a basin covering 85,626 square kilometres. The major part of the basin (66%) is covered by agriculture and inhabited by more than 30 million people. There are 96 dams built across the basin. As a consequence, 80% of the historical discharge is diverted, mainly for irrigation.
The delta regions of the Cauvery River Basin are one of the significant areas of rice production in India. In spite of large-scale utilisation of the river basin for irrigation and drinking purposes, the lack of appropriate water management has seemingly deteriorated the water quality due to increasing anthropogenic activities.
The population explosion in the Cauvery River Basin has led to an increase in agricultural runoff from watersheds, sewage, and industrial effluents, which are suspected to be probable factors of water pollution.
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Inadequate management of industrial and agricultural growth
Rivers are a source of livelihood for many, providing fresh water, food, housing, transport, and recreation facilities. However, inadequate management of industrial and agricultural growth has led to the pollution of these sacred waterways.
Agricultural practices, including livestock farming and crop production, contribute significantly to river pollution. The use of pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and manure in farming can lead to harmful levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in water bodies, causing eutrophication and destructive overgrowth of algae. This, in turn, leads to oxygen depletion, disrupting the ecosystem below the water surface and often resulting in fish kills. Additionally, the excessive use of antibiotics in livestock farming contributes to the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which poses a significant threat to human health.
Industrial activities also play a significant role in river pollution. Industrial waste, including toxic chemicals and untreated sewage, is often discharged into rivers, contaminating the water and making it unsafe for human use. In some cases, industrial pollution has been linked to skin problems and intestinal issues in individuals who come into contact with the polluted water.
The combination of agricultural and industrial pollution has severe consequences for rivers and the surrounding ecosystems. The sacred Yamuna River in India, for example, has become severely polluted with untreated sewage and industrial waste, posing serious health risks to those who depend on it.
To address these issues, it is essential to implement effective policies and incentives that promote sustainable practices in agriculture and industry. On-farm practices, such as efficient irrigation schemes and optimized use of fertilizers and pesticides, can help reduce pollution. Additionally, establishing protection zones and buffer strips along rivers can act as a barrier to pollution migration, protecting aquatic ecosystems.
By prioritizing sustainable practices and implementing effective pollution prevention measures, we can work towards preserving the sanctity and ecological balance of these sacred rivers.
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Religious festivals bringing large numbers of people to the river
Religious festivals, such as the Kumbh Mela, bring large numbers of people to the river. This festival, recognised as an Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, is held every 12 years in four cities: Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik. It is the largest religious gathering in the world, with 400 million pilgrims expected to attend over 45 days.
The festival is rooted in Hindu mythology, which tells a story of a fight between gods and demons over a pot of immortal nectar. A few drops of the nectar fell in the four cities where the festival is held. As the fight lasted for 12 celestial days, equal to 12 years on Earth, the festival is held every 12 years.
The Kumbh Mela sees Hindu devotees bathe in the sacred rivers, believing that the water has the power to cleanse sin and restore them. The confluence of the Ganges, Yamuna, and mythical Saraswati rivers is a significant aspect of the festival. The rivers are considered goddesses in Hindu culture, and a holy bath in them is believed to absolve one's sins and fear of death.
The festival is not just a spiritual affair but also a spectacle, with naked Hindu holy men, known as Naga Sadhus, participating in processions with tridents, swords, and drums. The event also includes religious discourses, prayers, and rituals organised by Hindu ascetics.
The Indian government invested significant resources into the festival, providing over $765 million for the 2025 event. They constructed a tent city on the riverbanks, equipped with thousands of toilets and security personnel, to accommodate the massive influx of people.
While the Kumbh Mela is a significant religious festival, it also raises concerns about river pollution. With millions of people bathing in the rivers, pollution levels spike, adding to the existing issues of industrial waste and sewage contamination.
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Sewage and industrial effluents dumped into rivers
India
The Ganges and Yamuna rivers, revered in Hinduism, are among the most polluted rivers globally due to untreated sewage and industrial waste. More than 3000 million liters of untreated sewage are dumped into the Ganges daily, and it is estimated that 800 million liters of largely untreated sewage and 44 million liters of industrial effluents are discharged into the Yamuna each day. The consequences are dire: high levels of fecal coliform bacteria, making the water unsafe for bathing and threatening the cultural tradition of sacred river bathing. The pollution has also led to skin and intestinal problems among those who come into contact with the water.
China
The Yangtze River, the fifth-largest river globally by discharge volume, turned red from pollution in 2012. China's rivers suffer from industrial pollution, plastic pollution, agricultural runoff, and untreated sewage and industrial effluents from pig farms. This has rendered a third of the Yangtze's course unusable even for agricultural or industrial purposes.
Indonesia
The Citarum River in Indonesia, the longest and largest river in West Java, is described as the world's most polluted river. Over 2000 industries, mainly textile factories, contaminate the river with toxins like lead, mercury, arsenic, and phthalates. This pollution has resulted in the loss of approximately 60% of the river's fish population and the destruction of important ecosystems.
Lebanon
The Beirut River in Lebanon has been described as "no longer normal water" by the Lebanese Minister of Public Works due to sewage and industrial waste. The river is choked with floods of sewage water, leading to periodic displacement of settlements and contributing to elevated rates of asthma and skin diseases, especially among children.
Brazil
The Tietê River in Brazil, flowing through the state of São Paulo, has been deemed the most polluted river in the country. Large amounts of industrial waste from factories, especially tanneries, have led to high levels of lead in the water. This has resulted in health issues for the residents, with 25% of children living in urban slums along the river having lead in their bloodstreams.
United States
In the United States, rivers like the Hudson River in New York and New Jersey, the Tijuana River along the Mexico-US border, and the Detroit River in Michigan have suffered from industrial waste, sewage, and agricultural runoff. The Tijuana River, for example, has had over 100 billion gallons of wastewater flow from Mexico into the US, including toxins, metals, solvents, pathogens, and sewage. This has resulted in sickness among citizens of San Diego and Tijuana who come into contact with the polluted beaches.
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Urbanization and industrialization
In the case of India, the booming population and rapid expansion of urban areas have taken a toll on its sacred rivers. The Ganges, considered the holiest river in Hinduism, has been severely polluted by the dumping of raw sewage and chemicals. Similarly, the Yamuna River, a major tributary of the Ganges, has been contaminated with untreated sewage and industrial waste, making the water unsafe for human use and posing serious health risks.
The impact of urbanization and industrialization on river pollution is not limited to India. Rivers in Europe, South-East Asia, and North America also face severe pollution problems. The Citarum River in Indonesia, for example, has been polluted by industrial wastes from factories, and the Yellow River in China has become a dumping ground for chemical factories, making the water toxic and unsuitable even for agriculture.
The consequences of river pollution due to urbanization and industrialization are far-reaching. It poses risks to public health, threatens cultural traditions, and endangers biodiversity. Additionally, it increases the vulnerability of cities to flooding, as natural river channels are narrowed and flow is distorted.
To address these issues, advanced wastewater treatment technologies and effective wastewater management strategies are crucial. However, it is important to recognize the social challenges associated with cleanup efforts, especially in densely populated areas with a high proportion of slum dwellers. Relocating people and industries takes time and resources, and it is essential to find suitable relocation sites that do not disrupt communities and livelihoods.
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Frequently asked questions
A river can be both polluted and sacred when the cultural significance and traditional practices of the people who consider it sacred are not enough to prevent the river from being contaminated by pollution from industrial waste, sewage, and agricultural runoff.
Rivers can get polluted in several ways, including:
- Use of river water for domestic, municipal, industrial, and agricultural purposes, which reduces the volume of water and affects its quality.
- Untreated sewage and industrial effluents being emptied into rivers, which can affect the self-cleansing capacity of the river.
- Increasing urbanization and industrialization also contribute to river pollution.
River pollution can have several negative impacts, including:
- Threatening the health of nearby communities, such as those who rely on the river for drinking water, irrigation, or recreational activities.
- Damaging the river's ecosystem and biodiversity, including fish populations.
- Disrupting cultural and religious traditions, such as bathing rituals, that depend on the river.
There are several potential solutions to reduce river pollution and improve water quality, including:
- Improving waste management practices, such as by treating sewage and industrial wastewater before discharging it into rivers.
- Promoting circular economy approaches, such as reusing treated wastewater for non-potable purposes.
- Raising awareness about the impacts of human activities on river health and encouraging behaviour changes.
Some examples of sacred rivers that have been impacted by pollution include:
- The Ganges River in India, which is considered sacred by Hindus but has been polluted by untreated sewage, industrial waste, and agricultural runoff.
- The Yamuna River in India, which is revered by Hindus but has become contaminated with sewage and detergents, posing health risks to those who bathe in it.
- The Jordan River, which holds significance in Judaism and Christianity but has been affected by sewage and brackish water due to a lack of cooperation between neighbouring countries.
