Effluent originating from distilleries known as spent wash leads to extensive water pollution. A study was conducted to know the quality of effluent generated from the distillery, for the purpose of proper treatment and dilution of effluent before discharge in water stream or on land. Physico-chemical characteristics of distillery effluent samples such as colour, odour, Total Solids, Total dissolved solids, Total Suspended Solids, pH, Electrical Conductivity, Total hardness, Calcium, Magnesium, Alkalinity, Chloride, Dissolved Oxygen, Biological Oxygen Demand, Chemical Oxygen Demand, Ammonical Nitrogen, Total Phosphorus, and Total Potassium were analysed and it was observed that the characteristics of spent wash and PTDE (primary treated distillery effluent) have high load of chemical and organic pollutants. But when PTDE was diluted with 50% and 75% of water, all the values of physicochemical properties were decreased. The decrease in these values show that the toxicity of distillery effluent decreases with increasing dilution. Thus the characteristics of spent wash and PTDE do not allow its discharge into a waterbody, hence it requires treatment and dilution before discharge.
