Current World Environment

Ground water is believed to be comparatively clean and free from pollution than surface water. Prolonged discharge of domestic sewage and solid waste causes the ground water to become polluted and create health hazards, but the National Water Policy (2002) states, "adequate clean water should be provided to the entire population both in urban and rural areas". Therefore the ground water samples from 15 locations of 5 selected areas namely, Kadaba, Kallambella, Honnudike, Hebbur and Kunigal of situated around Tumkur city have been collected from August to December, 2007 and analyzed for physico-chemical parameters. The values obtained were compared with standards prescribed by ISI and WHO. The data have revealed that certain water samples from Kallambella, Kadaba and Honnudike area have high nitrate level and are of immediate health concern. The water samples of Kallambella area were found to be too hard. The Canadian Council of Ministers of The Environment (CCEM) water quality index (WQI) values were calculated fro a few samples of selected areas and compared with the approved values. The results so obtained would account for the fact that the water samples from Hebbur (S1) and Kunigal (S2) area are of excellent quality; samples (S2) of Kadada area are of good quality, samples (S1) of Honnudike area are of fair quality whereas samples (S2) of Kallambella area are of marginal quality.