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Beneath air, water is the most important substance for the life of all organisms including human beings. Water has unique chemical properties due to its polarity and hydrogen bonds which means it is able to dissolve, absorb, adsorb or suspend many different compounds. Thus in nature water is not pure as it acquires contaminants from its surrounding and those arising from humans and animals as well as other biological activities. Groundwater is a significant water resource in India for domestic, irrigation and industrial needs. More than 85 % of rural and 50 % of urban domestic water requirements is being met from groundwater resources, while irrigation accounts for around 92% of groundwater extraction. Hasty, unscientific and unsustainable groundwater development and management in the country due to ever increasing population, urbanization and industrialization is altering the hydrological and geochemical environments of the aquifers leading to deterioration of groundwater quality. The quality of the groundwater sources are affected by the characteristics of the media through which the water passes on its way to the groundwater zone of saturation.

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