A Study on Water Quality in Kanyakumari District, Tamil Nadu, India

Analyses of physical and chemical examinations were undertaken for the river and pond water resources of Kanyakumari district, Tamil Nadu, India. The study has chosen two main rivers and four ponds in the study area mainly because these water sources are used by village people for drinking and bathing purposes. Water quality parameters viz., Turbidity, Total dissolved solids, Electrical conductivity, pH, Total Hardness, Nitrite, Sulphite, Phosphate, Bacteriological examinations, and Faecal Coliform were analysed as per the Bharat Indian Standard. The laboratory results of pH, Nitrate (NO3), Sulphate (SO4) and Faecal Coliform per 100 ml are within the standard permissible limits for all four tap water samples. In Villukuri, the values of Turbidity, Total Harness, Electrical conductivity, Total Hardness, Nitrate, Nitrite and Sulphate have shown the highest among the four stations viz., 6 NTU, 740 mg/L, 1112 micS/cm, 312 mg/L, 022 , 10, and 39 mg/L respectively. The Faecal coliform and the E. coli counts exceeding acceptable limits are indicative of pollution from domestic wastes from several informal settlements located along the riverbank. Water uses in the area were determined and were found to be mainly domestic and recreational. The gross pollution of the river exposes the local people who depend on it for their primary water source to serious health risk.