assessment of water quality of huluka and alaltu rivers of ambo, ethiopia

the physico-chemical parameters, nutrient status and heavy metal ions of huluka and alaltu rivers of ambo, ethiopia were studied. temperature, ph, electrical conductivity, co2 content, total dissolved solids, hardness, dissolved oxygen, ca2+, mg2+, cl-, nitrate, phosphate and sulphate have been determined along with selected heavy metals to assess the various water quality profiles along the rivers due to addition of various waste materials through anthropogenic activities. the majority of the parameters show an increasing trend progressing downstream and the declining quality of the rivers. the downstream samples have shown almost a three times increase in most of the measured physico-chemical parameters but fell within the recommended limits for drinking water except for dissolved oxygen and phosphate. along the river course, most of the heavy metals fulfill the maximum permissible limit for drinking water according to the international standards except cd and mn.