Kuttanad is an area of water logging and lies below the sea level. The level of water in this region is usually above the paddy fields that cover most of the region. Most people here are unaware of the health hazardous likely to occur during or after flood. In this study, we are trying to find out the impact of flood on sanitary quality of drinking water of Kuttanad area due to the heavy rainfall during 2018, the worst floods to hit in the last two decades that have shattered the Kuttanad region. The floodwater has resulted in the submergence of the entire region forcing displacement of people. Safe drinking water and proper sanitation are the two inevitable necessities for human health and natives usually depend on ground water for drinking purpose. But during the flood, ground watert able maybe mixed with flood water and become contaminated. Poor sanitation system has increased the contamination level and the contaminated water sources could spread out a number of water borne diseases. Considering the prevalent situation, this study was taken to evaluate water for parameters, namely total coliform groups, faecal coliforms, Vibrio and Salmonella species by conventional microbiological techniques. From the study we could deduce that the water resources were completely polluted or contaminated. 76.67 % of the analysed sample was found to be unsatisfactory for usage. Moreover, 30% of the analysed samples were found to have contaminated with E.coli. Around 83.34% of samples analysed were detected with the presence of Vibrio species. Among the samples of positive results, 56.67% of samples were detected with Vibrio cholerae and 23.34% of the positive samples were detected with the species of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Of the samples that showed the presence of Vibrio, 23.34% showed the presence of both V.cholerae and V.parahaemolyticus. 26.67% of the samples were found to have shown positive results for Salmonella Species. Taking to account, the location and sanitation conditions, water sources may be contaminated by flood water. During flood many waterborne diseases spread out like Cholera, Dysentery, Diarrhoea, Typhoid etc.

Keywords : Kuttanad, Drinking Water, Flood, Waterborne Diseases.