VPE 511: Environment and Environmental Hygiene (2+1)

UNDERGROUND WATER

 Two categories of Underground Water

• Sub soil water 
• Deep ground water
• The water is held beneath the soil and it has to be tapped in the form of wells or springs.

Sub Soil water

• This water is held above the first impermeable layer and it rises and falls according to the season and rainfall of the locality.
• The sub soil water is liable to gross contamination form organic vegetable wastes and livestock excretory pollutants.
• The fitness of the sub soil water as a source for the livestock should be regarded with suspicion and such water has to be submitted to bacteriological examination before put to use.

Deep ground water

• This water lies below at least one impermeable stratum. As it has percolated to a greater depth it is usually free form significant bacterial pollution.
• Water is protected form surface pollution by the presence of impermeable strata.  
• Even this ground water sources may occasionally be grossly polluted and contaminated due to certain natural faults such as cracks, and fissures in the course of rock formation.
•  Mineral contents of ground water is generally very high.