Optical indicators of water quality offer resource managers a swift and cost-effective means of monitoring water bodies. Remote sensing presents a promising avenue to overcome limitations, enabling comprehensive evaluation across geographical and temporal scales. This study presents initial findings utilizing hyperspectral sensing to analyze the water quality of the urban river Cooum in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. Lab analysis of 40 water samples included examination for key ions such as chloride, calcium, fluoride, sulphate, nitrate, and bicarbonates, as well as assessment of solids and colloidal components. Spectral analysis using a handheld Visible Near-Infrared (VNIR) spectroradiometer yielded reflectance curves, depicting the response of various water types and pollutants at different wavelengths. Integration of spectroradiometer data with water quality parameters facilitated the identification of empirical models tailored to the parameters of interest. The developed models exhibited an average R2 value of 0.7, underscoring the efficacy of hyperspectral remote sensing in rapidly assessing water quality in polluted rivers.