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A new report by the Geological Survey of India (GSI) has revealed that about 58 per cent of groundwater in the state is not suitable for drinking and its use may be hazardous.“Most of the groundwater in central, southern and north western districts is unpotable and potable groundwater occurs in isolated pockets in northern parts,” said the recently compiled report Haryana: A Geoenvironmental Perspective, the report discusses, among other issues, geo-environmental hazards in the state. The GSI’s assessment is based on ISI norms, which stipulate that groundwater having one or more metallic or non-metallic ions beyond permissible limit is considered unsuitable for drinking. Haryana has an agro-based economy and the availability of good quality water is essential for drinking and irrigation.