Physico-chemical studies of water quality of Singanallur lake, Coimbatore, south India

Abstract

Water pollution is a major environmental problem in India, especially pollution of rivers, lakes
and ponds caused by people's daily activities but also by industry, The growing population and
the contaminated growth in agriculture, rapid urbanization and industrialization, have led to an
increasing demand for water. In India, pollution from various sources is seriously degrading
freshwater sources, Coimbatore is the second largest city in TamilNadu, South India. There are
more than 25,000 small, medium, large and tiny industries and textile mills. The unplanned and
uncontrolled expansion of Coimbatore has brought in its wake serious pressures on its natural
resources.
Singanallur Lake (major source for irrigation) is situated between 10', 56' 46' latitude and 77'
0 I' 11" longitudes at Southwest of Coimbatore city, South India. The lake with an area of 835 m2
is divided into two equal halves having a connection for water in between. The south half of the
lake receives freshwater only during rainy reason from Noyyal River (highly polluted river)
through a canal and north half receives urban, domestic and industrial wastewater. During rainy
season storm water and road runoff enters the lake through Sanganoor pallam. The catchment
area is 125 km2 comprising a part of Coimbatore urban and suburban areas. The present study
was carried out over a period of January 2004 - December 2004 and the sample was collected at
30 days interval in two zones namely, middle zone and sewage mixing zone.
The study depicts high level of pollution at sampling station near sewage mixing zone. The physico
chemical parameters like BOD, COD, DO, solids, chlorides, carbonates etc., are exceeding safe
limits. The lake with such high level of pollutants is unfit for irrigation.