COMPARATIVE ASSESSMENT OF BACTERIAL POPULATION AND PATHOGENIC RISK OF SAGO INDUSTRY WASTE WATER AND DRINKING WATER SOURCE OF ERODE DISTRICT (T.N) INDIA .

A comparative analysis was made to study the physico-chemical and microbial characterization of drinking water and sago effluent samples from various stations along the Cauvery river bank. Among many stations, Pallipalayam was found to be highly polluted. Among the observed bacterial genera(8) E.coli and Pseudomonas were present in all the samples and both of them contain virulence factors also. Thus the tapioca processing waste water causes damage to the aquatic bodies and most of the sago industries are found to be located on the Cauvery river bank. It poses a serious threat to the environment.