2025/07/22 by Kibru Gedam, Asnakew Mulualem, Tamru Tesseme +2
paper · doi:10.20372/nadre:11760
Groundwater is one of the precious water sources for domestic, irrigation, and industrial demands in arid and semiarid regions of<br> the world. +e same is true in Ethiopia context. In this study, seven groundwater samples were collected and analyzed for various<br> chemical constituents (pH, TDS, Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, SO42-, Cl-, HCO3-, and NO3-) to assess the hydrogeochemical characteristics and water types of the groundwater wells. Among the seven sampled groundwater wells, five wells are found and used<br> for domestic water supply in Arba Minch University (AMU) main campus. +e remaining two are used for industrial and<br> irrigation demands located at the compound of Textile Factory and Haile Resort, respectively. Results showed that the main<br> campus groundwater wells are saline and harder than the two wells from Textile Factory and Haile Resort. Moreover, elevated<br> concentration of nitrate and potassium (greater than the maximum permissible level allowed in Ethiopia) were obtained in the<br> groundwater sources used mainly in the AMU main campus wells. +ese elevated concentrations of potassium and nitrate beyond<br> the enriched salt contents in the AMU main campus wells could pose kidney, cardiovascular, and other related health problems.<br> +is study, therefore, recommends the AMU to find other groundwater sources for drinking purpose other than the studied<br> water-well field.<br>