A Study Of The Impact of Chemical Industries Effluent in River Cauveryat Mettur Dam in Salem District

The investigator has taken an attempt to study the impact chemical industries located in and around the chemical industries at Mettur Dam area on the banks of the Cauvery River. River water and Well water samples were used for various domestic purposes. Residents are living in the Cauvery river bank and the ground water on the banks of the river is and highly polluted. Now the Cauvery River is mainly used for discharge of highly polluted industrial effluents from Chemicals industries in and around Mettur Dam the ground water affected due to percolation of the Cauvery river water. Due to urbanization very high volume of sewage water let in to the Cauvery River and the discharge of Industrial effluents increase the pollution load in the Cauvery River. It is observed from the present study that the river is naturally favorable for discharge of chemical industry effluent water during rainy seasons. Water quality analysis of Bore well and well water collected from the Cauvery river bank reveals that the water cannot be used for domestic and also for drinking purpose. As per the health centre and hospital data people living in the study area suffers from the water bone diseases like, Diarrhea, dysentery, and even cholera. Once an aquifer is polluted by percolation of the contaminated water it is very difficult for reclamation. The TDS hardness, high contents of chloride causes the water to be saline. It was also observed in many cases that heavy contamination of sewage leads to complete pollution of the ground water on the banks of the river Cauvery. It is observed that neither the river water and the Ground Water is Unsuitable for domestic use. Very significant results are seen in the case of nitrites, nitrates and phosphates. Both in the river and in the groundwater their presence are above limits by standards as per CPHEEO standards. But the possibility of their contributing to diseases like blue baby syndrome and stomach cancer are to be seriously considered.