NEW DELHI: As the Yamuna River struggles under the burden of untreated sewage, industrial effluents, and toxic detergents, a group of young innovators is offering a ray of hope — not from a government lab, but from the dynamic corridors of IIT Delhi.
At the Change Makers 2025 summer bootcamp, a student team named “Aqua Nova” developed a two-stage bioremediation system to clean Delhi’s lifeline, the Yamuna. Chosen from a pool of 106 students from across India and abroad, Aqua Nova set out to address the high levels of phosphate and nitrate pollution in the river — primarily caused by domestic sewage and detergent discharge.
Their solution involves a pre-filtration unit that removes total suspended solids (TSS), followed by a Chlorella vulgaris-based photobioreactor that breaks down nitrates and phosphates under controlled lighting. In initial lab trials, the prototype effectively reduced nitrate levels to safer limits, making it a potentially scalable solution for the Yamuna’s polluted waters. “We came in with ideas and ambition. But somewhere between sleepless nights and endless discussions, we realized we weren’t just building a project — we were building belief,” said the Aqua Nova team in a joint statement.
The bootcamp, hosted by IIT Delhi, became a hub of youthful innovation. While Aqua Nova focused on water, other teams addressed plastic waste, air pollution, and vehicle emissions.
One group created a biodegradable plastic film that dissolves in seawater within 72 hours; another developed a low-cost smart exhaust sensor for real-time emission tracking.
In a city where the Yamuna is both sacred and sullied, Aqua Nova’s solution could be a blueprint for urban river restoration — if backed by authorities and scaled responsibly.