Purpose The purpose of this paper is to assess the ground water quality and salinity issues in the fast developing coastal urban lands of two river basins of Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, South India. Design/methodology/approach In order to address the water quality of the basins, field sampling was conducted and the samples were analysed in the laboratory. A comparison with water quality standards was also made and the interpretations of the results were done using GIS and statistical tools. Findings The values of conductivity, chlorides and salinity show that the coastal areas of Neyyar and Karamana basins are severely affected by salinity intrusion in addition to the pollution problems. More than 90 per cent of the samples are with hardness lower than 100 mg/l. About 70 per cent of the study area is with calcium concentrations lower than 25 mg/l. The content of sulphate and magnesium in Poovar and Poonthura coastal stretches is found to be higher compared to other regions. Originality/value Since not much work has been published from the study area on these aspects, the hydrochemical characterization is a very important in deciphering the quality of ground water for its proper management. The water quality evaluation and salinity intrusion studies are very important for the future planning and development of this area.

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