Groundwater Pollution: Causes and Impact

Abstract

Groundwater is one of the most precious gifts to mankind, it is also the important sources of drinking water, but the quality of ground water is being badly affected by sewage, agricultural runoff, chlorinated solvents and bio pollutants and also by several anthropo­ genic activities. Fluoride, arsenic, lead and some heavy metals also promote the pollution level of groundwater naturally. In urban or sub-urban areas the process of land filling by solid wastes has also promoted the level of groundwater pollution. Lakes and rivers, which are prominent source of groundwater recharging, may also affect, the ground water ad­ versely if they are being enriched by industrial effluents, as it is a common practice now- a-days.