ABSTRACT
Soil is present everywhere, but not everywhere the groundwater within that soil is exploitable, or even in flowing at significant rate. Hence, the vulnerability to Non-Point source pollution can be distinguished in a vulnerability of the top soil layers and vulnerability of groundwater in exploitable aquifer systems. The effects of point sources may be serious at the affected location, but diffuse/Non-Point Sources also represent an important threat to the environment because of their widespread occurrence. The paper has focused on conceptualising the dominant spatial trends of essentially Non-Point pollution and identifying the main controlling factors within a urban setting in South India. In addition, the groundwater pollution trends and source identification are also emphasised. Physio-chemical analysis of groundwater in the study area revealed high levels of nitrates, chlorides, phosphates and fluorides. The factors responsible for groundwater pollution are identified & suitable preventive measures are discussed.
