Abstract:
The study was conducted in Benja Town and surrounding kebeles, Jimma Zone, Oromia
Regional State, southwestern Ethiopia aiming to assess the qualities of the well-waters in case
of hand dug well, deep well, hand pump well and shallow well, in which the people of the
village used for drinking as well as for some other activities. Five well-water samples were
collected from Benja town and seven surrounding kebeles.Physicochemical parameters, includin
g temperature, Electrical conductivity, TDS, DO, Turbidity were measured on site by using
portable multi meter. Whereas, nitrate and phosphate were determined by spectro-photometer
(model). And the level of heavy metals in the sample was analyzed by FAAS. The mean
average results of the physicochemical parameter analyzed were ranges from: Temperature
(20.43±0.42 to 25.20±0.100C), pH(6.68±0.04 to 8.78±0.01),EC(218.33±0.58 to1306.67±0.58µs/
cm), TDS(161.00±1.00 to 650.67±0.58mg/L),DO (2.12±0.09to 5.60±0.51mg/L), PO43-
(0.02±0.01to 0.47±0.02mg/L), NO3-(2.42±0.02 to8.28±0.01mg/L),and that of heavy metals were
in the range of Pb (0.274±0.001to 0.275±0.001), Mn (0.152±0.004to 3.7±0.194), Fe
(0.145±0.001to 0.344±0.043), Cd (0.75±0.081to 1.27±0.021) and Cr(0.334±0.002to
0.336±0.0004)in mg/L.And Site W1 and W2 recorded high value of all parameter One-way
ANOVA test (p≤0.05) showed that all measured vary significantly across location. Based on the
finding of this study, some of the water samples for some physicochemical parameters and most
heavy metals were above the EWQG and WHO guideline for drinking water and hence needs
further treatment..
