GULBARGA: A sample survey conducted by the State Government on the quality of groundwater in all districts of the State has revealed high content of nitrate and fluoride in drinking water obtained from borewells and open wells.

The study conducted by the Department of Mines and Geology has found that 22.37 per cent of the drinking water sources contained high nitrate content, 9.58 per cent of the sources had high fluoride content and water in 8.05 per cent of the sources was hard.

While the fluoride content in drinking water from borewells and open wells was very high in Kolar, Tumkur, Raichur and Bellary districts, the nitrate content was high in Tumkur, Mysore, Gulbarga, Bellary, Chitradurga and Belgaum districts.

Udupi was the only district where not even a single source of drinking water contained either nitrate or fluoride, and water was also not hard. Even in a tiny district like Kodagu, eight sources had high nitrate content. Kolar and Tumkur districts were severely affected by nitrate and fluoride content in drinking water. While as many as 103 water sources were affected by fluoride, 43 were affected by high nitrate content. Sources said nitrate, which is colourless, odourless and tasteless, causes health problems in pregnant women, nursing mothers and elderly people.

Consumption of water with excess nitrate creates a condition known as "methemoglobenemia" in babies.

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