SPRING WATER- A POSSIBLE SOURCE OF DRINKING WATER AT THE TIME OF MIDSUMMER IN COASTAL BELT OF KARNATAKA - A CASE STUDY OF RAMATHIRTHA-GOKARNA, INDIA

The huge scarcity of drinking water is the major problem faced by the coastal belt of Karnataka at the time of midsummer since from past three to four years. The open well drinking soft water sources are completely become dry or they get salt water due to the influence of sea water near the coastal belt. The present study is based on the analysis of spring water sources at Ramathirtha of Gokarna situated in India for its quality with respect to potable drinking water. In recent years many countries have started use of spring water as the source drinking water as they have a quality almost equals to specification given for drinking water [1]. The spring water at its origin doesnt contain any pollutants and it is to be considered as mineral water or the bottled water as it contains essential minerals from the rock beds. The specification for the drinking water quality in India has given by IS 10500:2012, CPCB classification of Water and WHO guidelines are considered here to classify the spring water quality. Physico-chemical parameters like pH, Turbidity, Conductivity, Sulphates, Hardness, Total alkalinity, Nitrates, Chloride, DO, BOD, TDS, TSS and Microbiological parameters are measured in this study reveals that suitability of spring water for drinking purpose and has a good content of minerals. Both the spring water and open well water samples at the time of midsummer were collected for comparing the quality of drinking water. This case study was undertaken in the month of April-May of three consecutive years and the water quality is found be belongs to Class ?A of Drinking water. Hence, it has been suggested that spring water source can be used as a source of drinking water at coastal area and it may be considered as a permanent source of natural mineral water in near future at the coastal belt of Karnataka.