Occurrence of Fluoride in the Drinking Water Sources from Gad River Basin, Maharashtra

High fluoride content in the groundwater is reported from parts of the Gad River Basin, Sindhudurg district, coastal Maharashtra, India. The fluoride content of up to 5 mg/l has been found in the groundwater in laterite, basalt and the Precambrian basement (gneiss) aquifers in the region. The presence of high fluoride in groundwater well above the permissible levels for consumption poses a serious health threat to the rural populace in the region. The presence of tourmaline bearing pegmatites in the Precambrian basement is considered as a potential fluorine source. Deep circulation of fluoride rich groundwater between the latetritised basalts and the underlying crystalline basement could be responsible for the occurrence of fluoride in both the shallow and deeper aquifers of the region.