The present study was carried out to determine the water quality in selected temple ponds of Kumbakonam city. Based on various physico-chemical analyses, high amount of TDS, turbidity, alkalinity and hardness are mainly caused by washing, bathing activities of devotees, discharges of temple wastes and sewage and surface run-offs. The results revealed that the tank of Varaha Perumal temple is adversely affected by anthropogenic activities and showed a trend of increasing eutrophication followed by Chakrapani temple. The present study suggested that awareness programmes should be taken up in the adjoining area of the city to educate people about the adverse effect of water pollution in the temple ponds. All the tanks should be periodically recharged by the freshwater through proper inlet and outlet channels.

Keywords : Surface water, Physico-chemical characteristics, human activities, rituals, and water pollution.