Abstract

Groundwater samples were collected in Erode city, Tamilnadu, from an area having large number of textile dyeing units. Though people residing in this area use river water supplied by local bodies as their major source for drinking, groundwater is also used as complementary source. The samples collected were subjected to systematic analysis using the standard methods and procedures. The values obtained for different physicochemical parameters were compared with the standard values given by ISI/ WHO. Variations in many physicochemical parameters were observed for most of the samples when compared to the standard values. More than half of the samples collected had their EC, TDS, total hardness, calcium, magnesium, sulphate and chloride exceeding their acceptable limits. This attempt has been made to determine the quality of groundwater in the study area confirms the deterioration of groundwater quality in the area and calls for some effective measures to be taken urgently to minimize the adverse impacts that may occur due to the contamination of groundwater.