Trace metal pollution is a global concern. With the rapid increase in industrialization and urbanization, the disposal of industrial effluents on agricultural lands is becoming a serious problem all over the world. Contaminated sites are the legacy of a long period of industrial impact involving unconsidered production and handling of hazardous substances and unregulated dumping of the wastes. The indiscriminate disposal of industrial and sewage effluents on agricultural lands is becoming a major source of trace metals contamination in soil and ultimately in ground water. Due to the infiltration and percolation of these industrial effluents through soil, the process of adding contaminants to the groundwater is on the rise. On the groundwater depends the life of all humans and animals. The ingestion of these trace metals in to the human body through the drinking water may prove toxic for human being as these causes several diseases. Thus it was thought proper to generate some information on characteristics of effluents along with its effect on trace metal buildup in soil as well as ground waters a result of irrigation. Moradabad also called ‘Brass City' of India, is situated on the banks of river Ram Ganga. There are about 450 electroplating, brass, steel and battery units responsible for generation of metal contaminated effluents. Effluent generated from brass industry comprises mainly of Zn, Cu, Cr, Ni and Pb.Discharge of electroplating mainly add Cr and Ni while that of smelter units Cd is the major culprit trace metal. The industrial effluents are being discharged indiscriminately into the open drainage system. Farmers adjoining the Nala use effluents for irrigating their fields particularly for vegetable production in summer. About 20 samples of effluents, 28 samples of hand pump water and soil profile samples were collected. The effluents used for irrigation have normal pH (7.3-7.4), high salinity (1.15-1.29 dSm-1), high Cl content (315-445 mgL-1) and high Cr content for irrigation purpose as per limit given by Ayers and Westcot, 1976.The buildup of trace elements in soil profile over control were in the order of Cr>Pb>Cu>Zn>Fe>Cd>Ni>Mn for total quantities and in order of Cu>Zn>Fe>Ni>Cd=Mn>Pb>Cr for DTPA extractable quantities. Potable water quality of hand pump water was assessed as per Maximum Permissible Limit (MPL) of ISI, 1983 and it was found that all the samples tested below MPL for Zn and Cu while that of Cd and Cr it was above MPL.Further water samples tested for above MPL values were Pb and Ni(60%), Mn(43%), and Fe(30%). The above results point to the fact that indiscriminate disposal of industrial effluents have lead to the contamination of hand pump water. It has clearly demonstrated high potential of Cd and Cr for ground water contamination. As such water contamination may cause public health problems related to these metals. Further study is needed to assess the impact of trace metal related public health problem in this area.