Contamination of Underground Water by Heavy Metals: A Case Study of Boreholes around Sony Sugar Factory, Awendo

Water is very essential and always gets contaminated when the industrial effluents are released into the environment untreated. The concentration levels of heavy metals in underground water in residential areas around Sony Sugar factory was determine. Water from different boreholes around the company were collected twice a month and tested for heavy metals (Zn, Cr, Cu, Cd, Pb, Co and Ni). The tests were carried out in the University of Eldoret chemistry laboratories using AAS. The concentration of Pb was the highest among the metals studied ranging between 3.843mg/L - 4.098mg/L. This range exceeds the World health organisation recommended limits for humanitarian and general life habitat. Fe concentrations from the samples were ranging from 2.066 - 2.843mg/L. This concentration is lying within the desirable limits as recommended by WHO, thus does not cause any health risks to the environment. Zn and Cu concentration were all within the recommended concentration levels. With the exception of Pb which had high concentration levels. The concentration of other heavy metals around the company?s underground water were found to be within the tolerable limits and does not impose any health risk to the environment. To reduce the concentration of lead, the company should implement the use of unleaded fuel to reduce environmental pollution. Health screening should be carried out regularly on the workers and farmers around the company to check for some symptoms and effect of heavy metals particularly lead.