STUDIES ON PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF GROUND WATER IN AMARAVATHY RIVER BASIN OF KARUR DISTRICT, TAMILNADUR. RAJAMANICKAM AND S. NAGANAbstract Amaravathy river is a tributary of river Cauvery in Tamilnadu. This is the main water source for domestic, agriculture and industrial activities in the river basin. Karur is an industrial town located on the bank of river Amaravathy. There are 487 textile processing units in operation and discharge about 14450 KLD of partially treated effluent into river. Karur town sewage about 5000 KLD is treated and discharged into river. The ground water quality in the downstream is deteriorated due to continuous discharge of effluent. In order to assess the present quality of ground water, 13 open wells were identified in the river basin and samples were collected during pre-monsoon and postmonsoon and analyzed for physico-chemical parameters. TDS, total alkalinity, total hardness, calcium, chlorides and sulphates were exceeded the desirable limit. River water samples were collected at the upstream and downstream of Karur and the result reveals that the river meets Class C inland surface waters standards. However during summer season, there is no flow in river and the river acts as drainage for the effluent. Hence there is severe impact on the groundwater quality in the downstream. The best option to protect the ground water quality in the river basin is that the textile processing units shall adopt zero liquid discharge system and completely recycle the treated effluent.
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