1. Introduction
Groundwater is the main source of water in the arid and semi-arid environment which fulfills the requirement of
different beneficial-uses viz., drinking, domestic, and/or irrigation particularly for the rural population. With
accelerated and uncontrolled development projects such as stock farming, irrigation, urbanization, and
industrialization, a large quantity of waste products are being generated and discharged which ultimately contaminate both groundwater and surface water. The excessive and improper use of chemical fertilizers, animal
manures, insecticides, and pesticides, improperly built or poorly located and/or maintained septic systems for
household wastewater, leaking or abandoned underground storage tanks and piping, improper disposal or storage of
wastes and chemical spills at local industrial sites, over exploitation and unwise use of groundwater have not only
depleted groundwater availability, but also made its quality inferior and scarce. It has been contaminated by various
pollutants like arsenic, fluoride, nitrate etc. It is therefore important to realize that management of groundwater does
not only mean assessing groundwater quantity and its availability for different purposes but also its quality which
have been impacted significantly to be precursor to various water borne epidemics. In arid and semi-arid regions, the
problem has indeed become even serious and challenging which are now being recognized as a social and academic
imperative by all water sectors. Hence it is necessary to put appropriate efforts in improving quality of groundwater
on scientific lines by utilizing these resources in sustainable manner.