Abraham Teym^1,, Embialle Mengistie², Seid Tiku², Samueal Fekadu², Gete Berihun³, Mahmud Ahmednur², Ayenew Negesse⁴

The quality of ground and surface water sources are contaminated by heavy metal discharged from industries, transport, municipal wastes, and hazardous waste sites as well as from fertilizers applied for agricultural intensification purposes and accidental oil spillages from tankers can result in a steady rise in contamination of both ground and surface water. Objective: To determine the level of heavy metal contamination in ground and surface water sources in Jimma town, Southwest Ethiopia. Method: The study was conducted in Jimma town in 2019 by applying a cross-sectional study design. A total of 20 samples were collected from Ground and surface water samples and stored in a clean polythene bottle that had been prewashed with 10% nitric acid and thoroughly rinsed with deionized water using standard methods of American Public Health Association (APHA), 2012. Heavy metal in water samples was analyzed by using an atomic absorption spectrophotometer. SPSS version 23 and excel software were employed for statistical analysis. A comparison of the results with the accepted international standard was carried out. Results: results for physicochemical parameters were in the range of: pH (5.9-8.71), Electrical Conductivity (83-1212 𝜇S/cm), Turbidity (0.67-5.4 NTU), and water temperature (21.9-29.8°C) and some selected heavy metals in water samples analyzed were found in the range of Pb (0.0174-0.183 mg/L), Cd (0.0029-0.031 mg/L), Cu (0.0495-0.581 mg/L), Fe (0.03-0.95 mg/L), Mn (0.00-0.55 mg/L), and Zn (0.0345-3.45 mg/L) for water sample. Conclusion: the concentrations of Pb and Cd in surface and groundwater sources were above the maximum limits recommended by WHO, USEPA, and EU. Fe, Mn, Cu, and Zn in ground and surface water were below the limits recommended by WHO, USEPA, and EU.

heavy metal, groundwater, surface water, physicochemical parameter