Abstract
Drinking water quality is fundamental to human physiology and health. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of drinking water in Gazer Town and selected kebele, in south Ari district, South Omo zone, Southern Ethiopia. A total of four drinking water samples were collected from densely populated urban areas of the Gazer Town and one rural Kebele. All the collected samples were analyzed for eight heavy metals, (Cd, Co, Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn) using standard procedures. The results were compared with other national and international standards. Among the analyzed samples, drinking water samples collected from selected kebele (Aynalem kebele), show mean concentrations heavy metals in (μg/L), (Mn (973 ± 10), Cu (1068 ± 1.5), Cr (2785 ± 25), Fe (4302 ± 15), Cd (1218 ± 18), Pb (720 ± 12), Co (1478 ± 3), and Zn (1790 ± 5)), and the results revel except, Co and Zn metals, all show concentrations higher than the national and international standards (such as USEPA (2008), WHO (2011), and New Zealand) recommended values. Among the eight heavy metals analyzed from drinking waters in Gazer Town, Cd and Cr were below the method detection than that of all sampling area. However, the concentration of Mn, Pb, Co, Cu, Fe, and Zn were ranged from mean values of 9 μg/L, 17.6 μg/L, 7.6 μg/L, 12 μg/L, 765 μg/L, and 494 μg/L, respectively. Except Pb metals, the analyzed metals in waters were below the currently recommended guidelines for drinking. Therefore, the government should adopt some treatment technologies such as sedimentation and aeration to minimize the concentration of zinc for safe drinking the water to the community of Gazer Town.