An in-plant survey was carried out in a typical textile mill in South India. The quantity of water used in these mills is about 12. 0 to 13. 5 cu m/1000 m of cloth produced. Waste water let out is about 10. 00 to 11. 50 cu m/1000 m. Waste water from the mercerisation section is completely reused and sodium hydroxide recovered. A small quantity of waste water is let out from the sizing section once a week. Waste water from the grey preparation section has the highest BOD and COD. BOD load from this section is about 70 percent of the total load. Waste waters from khaki dyeing have high chromium. The characteristics of combined waste water varied from hour to hour and the maximum hourly flow was about twice the minimum hourly flow. The total BOD load from the waste waters worked out to 8. 15 to 9. 20 kg/1000 m of cloth produced. The need for segregation of strong wastes and treatment of combined waste has been stressed. An in plant survey was carried out in a typical textile mill in South India. The quantity of water used in these mills is about 12.0 to 13.5 cu m/1000 m of cloth produced. Waste water let out is about 10.00 to 11.50 cu m/1000 m. Waste water from the mercerisation section is completely reused and sodium hydroxide recovered. A small quantity of waste water is let out from the sizing section once a week. Waste water from the grey preparation section has the highest BOD and COD. BOD load from this section is about 70% of the total load. Waste waters from khaki dyeing have a high chromium content. The characteristics of combined waste water varied from hour to hour and the maximum hourly flow was about twice the minimum hourly flow. The total BOD load from the waste waters worked out to 8.15 to 9.20 kg/1000 m of cloth produced. The need for segregation of strong wastes and treatment of combined waste is stressed.