Zeitschrift für Umweltanalytische Chemie

Assessment of Physicochemical Quality of Spring Water in Arbaminch, Ethiopia

Abstract

Amanial Haile Reda

Spring water is a major source of water for drinking, agricultural, and industrial desires. The availability of water determines the location and activities of humans in an area and our growing population is placing great demands upon natural fresh water resources. However, they are sometimes exposed to various forms of pollution such as agricultural, industrial and residential. In the present study spring water samples were collected from Arbaminch spring and have been analyzed for physico-chemical parameters pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total dissolved solids (TDS), total suspended solids (TSS), total alkalinity, total hardness (TH), Cl-, F-, NO3 -, NO2 -, Na+, K+, Ca2+, SO4 2- and Mg2+. The obtained values of each parameter were compared with the standard values set by the World Health Organization (WHO), standards organization of Nigeria (SON), Indian standards institution (ISI) and United nations environmental protection agency (USEPA) drinking water quality standards. The values of each parameter were found to be within the safe limit values except Cl- , total alkalinity and F-. But the concentration of Cl- was found higher than the permissible levels of Cl- for safe drinking water set by WHO and SON. Total alkalinity have been found to be high as compared to desired limit value, but little higher compared to maximum permissible limit values of ISI. The average value of F- was also found above the maximum standard values of WHO and SON, but within the maximum standard values of US-EPA