Riverbank Filtration Facilitated the Attenuation of Organic Micropollutants in the Floodplains of the River Yamuna, India

We investigated the occurrence of organic micropollutants (OMPs) in the floodplains of the River Yamuna, Delhi, India, with a primary focus on corroborating the fate and transport of OMPs in highly pollution-stressed floodplains being tapped for potable water supply. In addition, we traced the seasonality of riverbank filtrations (RBFs) related to the aggravation or attenuation of contaminants of emerging concern. Fifty-seven OMPs were identified, quantified, and categorized into pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs), pesticides, personal care products (PCPs), phthalates, endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), fatty acids, food additives, hormones, and hospital wastes. Ranney wells (RWs) exhibited the presence of a lower number of OMPs with attenuated concentrations with respect to the surface water. Largely, RBF/sand filtration appears to be an effective, low-cost pretreatment step, naturally offered as the first step in potable water supply to densely populated areas. We believe that the efforts made to tap the RWs for a potable water supply in Delhi, rather than deep groundwater, provide a fair degree of sustainability to the entire process. However, a fully developed and precisely operated wastewater treatment system can be a potential way to keep the RWs safe for a longer period, providing a clean, safe, and potable water supply.