Natural water is a crucial source in route to a sustainable future. In the hydrologic cycle, water is the basis for food production, trade, human needs and the wealth of aquatic ecosystems. Natural source of water is finite, while water demand is steadily growing, thanks to human activity in the last decades. Currently, one of the major problems of mankind is pollution. It is obvious that the natural environment is deteriorating gradually and that ecological systems cannot adapt to anthropogenic factors pressure, and self-regulation of ecosphere is no longer possible. The fresh water ecosystem occupies a very small area in comparison to marine ecosystem. Now a day’s degradation of these fresh water resources due to water pollution has become a serious problem for entire world. Polluted water needs to be dully treated in order to minimize its negative effects on people, animals, birds, and aquatic biota. Polluted water is unsuitable for drinking, recreation, agriculture, and industry. It diminishes the aesthetic quality of surface water sources. No doubt, the indiscriminate release of liquid waste of organic and inorganic nature changes physico-chemical characteristics of water and causes hazard to flora and fauna including important member of food chain of man and aquatic ecosystem. Hence the present study is aimed to investigate some of the important physico–chemical parameters of the Cauvery river water in and around Nerur.

Keywords: Cauvery River; Nerur; Physico – Chemical Parameters; Ecosystem; Pollutants; Degradation and Environment;