Abstract
Spring water chemical behaviors in various locations and environmental degradation are being among the most recent dynamic issues. In this study, spring water sources of the Rira and Burkitu streams of remote rural areas were considered as holy and healthy water by the local communities. However, the quality of the water is not yet analyzed and still very low attentions are paid by the concerned governmental stakeholders towards characterizing the mineral constituents in order to confirm the existing perceptions. This study focused on comparing water quality of two springs exists in the two extreme altitudinal difference (from upper mountain (Rira spring) and lower altitude (Burkitu spring)) flowing through undisturbed ecosystem in the Bale Ecoregion. Water samples were taken following depth integrated composite samples from the two streams in 2015. The samples were taken to Ethiopian Public Health Organization, Addis Ababa. The spring water samples’ physicochemical characteristics were compared by one way ANOVA and a piper diagram and evaluated against WHO drinking water quality standards. Laboratory investigations revealed that “Burkitu” spring water has a special physique that makes it advantageous water. Turbidity, PO4, F-, and NH4+1 content of Rira and Burkitu spring water were 0.11 and 1.06 (NTU), 0.08 and 0.1 (mg/L), 0.43 and 0.42 (mg/l) 0.19 and 0.18 (mg/l) but not significantly different at P value less than 0.05 in that order respectively. Significantly different parameters at P value less than 0.01 were filterable residue at 180°C, CaCO3, Hardness, silica, Na+, K+, Ca, Mg, NO3, and HCO3 content of Rira and Burkitu springs were 56 and 222, 10 and 180, 36 and 188, 28.18 and 33.51, 6.1 and 8.2, 0.6 and 1.3, 11.22 and 54.51, 1.95 and 12.65, 6.17 and 1.19, 12.2 and 219.6 in that order respectively. pH and NO2 of the springs were significantly different at P value less than 0.05. The most dominant hydro chemical facies explaining the quality were Ca and Na in which Ca2+> Na+. Moreover, the water fit Ethiopian drinking water standard saving the lives of those rural communities with low and cheap water treatment.
Highlights
Any civilized society should consider the provision of safe drinking water as a priority
Water containing less than 500 mg/L of total dissolved solids is considered as fresh water category so that it is potable but after it was validated by local government with necessary follow up of water quality
The results revealed that the spring water source of this area is fresh water type and the studied parameters were within permissible level and free of pollution as prescribed by WHOat all the sampling stations
Summary
Any civilized society should consider the provision of safe drinking water as a priority. This is so because safe drinking water is a basic need to human development, health and wellbeing [1]. The quality of water needs evaluation to generate baseline data for welfare of the society as well as reduces the possible outbreak of water borne diseases, which is more common in developing countries. The first and a key, step in providing safe drinking water is the selection of the best available source of water without referring to its physicochemical and biological quality [4]. The quality of spring and small streams, running through rural areas, less known and even has not been properly evaluated for the intended use rather both animals and human beings can utilize the same water source without
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