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High phosphate concentration, largely from household waste water, was the major contributor to the layers of froth seen at some ghats of river Yamuna during the Chhath festival in November 2019, the Yamuna pollution control committee was told. The panel member said it will examine the causes in detail and issue specific directions to control this pollutant. As per the Yamuna panel, at least 90% of domestic waste water in the city flows into the Yamuna, which has a high content of detergent and laundry chemicals. According to experts, during festivals like Chhath, extra water is released from the Wazirabad barrage, which goes down to the Okhla barrage and from there into the river. Since the water falls into the river from a height, it causes churning and the froth develops.