EVALUATION OF SELECTED PHYSICOCHEMICAL AND BACTERIOLOGICAL PARAMETERS OF SPRING WATER IN GUTE AND GABA JIMATA TOWN, EAST WALLAGA ZONE OROMIA ETHIOPIA

Access to safe and clean drinking water is fundamental to the human health and socioeconomic development. However, rapid growth, urbanization and environmental pollution arising from agricultural, industrial and domestic activities have increasing threatened the quality of fresh water resource. This study was conducted to evaluate the physicochemical and bacteriological quality of spring water source in Gute and Gaba Jimata towns, East wallaga, zone oromia, Ethiopia. Water samples were collected from selected spring source and analyzed using standard analytical procedure to determine physicochemical parameter including pH electirical conductivity, total dissolved, total suspended solid, chloride, nitrate, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, iron, and manganese. In addition bacteriological analyses were performed to acess the presence of total coliform and fecal coliform bacteria. The main temperature values of the spring water sample were 22.00 ± 0.00 °C for Gute spring water and 21.00 ± 0.00 °C for Gaba Jimata spring water. The mean EC values were 93.63 ± 0.15 μS/cm for Gute spring water and 58.16 ± 0.20 μS/cm for Gaba Jimata spring water, while the corresponding TDS values were 58.66 ± 0.11 mg/L and 38.03 ± 0.15 mg/L, respectively. The TSS values were 0.98 ± 0.00 mg/L for Gute spring water and 1.00 ± 0.00 mg/L for Gaba Jimata spring water. The pH values ranged from 6.53 ± 0.06 in Gute spring water to 6.60 ± 0.10 in Gaba Jimata spring water, indicating slightly acidic to nearly neutral water conditions. Chloride concentrations were 80.46 ± 0.50 mg/L for Gute spring water and 76.91 ± 0.90 mg/L for Gaba Jimata spring water.The nitrate concentration were 1.29 ± 0.11 mg/L and 1.26 ± 0.00 mg/L for Gute spring water and Gaba Jimata spring water, respectively, whereas phosphate concentrations were 0.38 ± 0.13mg/L for Gute spring water and 0.26 ± 0.02 mg/L for Gaba Jimata spring water. The concentrations of calcium and magnesium ranged from 0.812 ± 0.03 to 0.95 ± 0.057 mg/L and from 0.78 ± 0.050 to 1.08 ± 0.026 mg/L, respectively. The concentrations of Fe were 0.058 ± 0.00mg/L in Gute spring water and 0.093 ± 0.00 mg/L in Gaba Jimata spring water, while Mn concentrations were 0.085 ± 0.00 mg/L and 0.094 ± 0.0t0 mg/L, respectively. The analyzed physicochemical parameter and trace metal concentration were compared with the guideline values recommende by the WHO and Ethiopian drinking water standards. All measuared parameters were found to be with in the permissible limits water standards. All measure parameter were found to be with the permissible limits for drinking water quality. Furthermore, bacteriological analysis revealed the absence of total coliform and fecal coliform bacteria in all sample, indicating that the spring water are macrobiological safe for human consumption. Over all the findings of this study demonstrate that the spring water source in Gute and Gaba Jimata towns are suitable for drinking and domestic purposes. Nevertheless continuous monitoring of water quality and seasonal assessment involving additional physicochemical and microbiological parameters are recommended to ensure the long term safety, sustanibility and protection of these water resource Keywords:� ���������������� ��������;����� ������� ������ ����� ������ ������ ���������� ���������������������������������������