Water is the elixir of life and it is threatened by the bacterial contamination. Coliform count is the major tool to determine the bacteriological quality of water. The determination is quite easy and informative. The different methodologies are employed depending on suitability but maximum probable number (MPN) is the most accepted. The main objective of this study is to assess the effect of groundwater contamination between Tamilnadu and Pondicherry areas, the water is collected for domestic use and drinking purposes. Samples from (23) place were collected during monsoon, winter and summer seasons and analyzed for the presence of total coliform and fecal coliform. In all samples, total coliforms and fecal coliforms were found. Total coliform bacteria are a collection of relatively harmless microorganisms commonly found in the gut of warm and cold blooded organisms. Part of this collection is the fecal coliform which origin may come only from warm blooded animals and is highly differentiated by their ability to grow at elevated temperatures. The present study concluded most people are concerned about the health risk that coliforms may pose. People exposed to coliform contaminated water may exhibit fever, diarrhea and abdominal cramps, chest pain, or hepatitis. During bathing exposure to coliforms may cause urinary tract infection.

Keywords: Total Coliform; Fecal Coliform; Quality Assessment; Groundwater;